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I'l'ifi-''';' 


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R  T 


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=0F     T  H  E==rr-=:=rr=;=:--r 


OF    HARTFORD 


CHARTER 


OF    THE: 


CITY     OF     HARTFORD 


•  "  :  !•: 


CHARTER  OF  THE  CITY  OF  HARTFORD. 


Section  i.  The  territorial  limits  of  the  corporation  of  the  City  of 
Hartford  shall  hereafter  include  all  the  land  and  territory  now  situated  with- 
in the  limits  of  the  town  of  Hartford,  and  all  lands  and  territory  which  are 
now  held  or  may  hereafter  be  acquired  by  said  City  of  Hartford  in  any  man- 
ner and  for  any  purpose  whatsoever. 

Sec.  2.  All  electors  of  this  State  dwelling  within  said  limits  are  hereby 
declared  to  be  and  shall  forever  continue  to  be  a  body  politic  and  corporate, 
in  fact  and  in  name,  by  the  name  of  The  City  of  Hartford,  and  by  that  name 
they  and  their  successors  shall  have  perpetual  succession,  and  be  a  person  in 
law,  capable  of  suing  and  being  sued,  pleading  and  being  impleaded,  in  all 
suits  of  what  nature  whatsoever,  and  shall  have  power  to  acquire,  own,  hold, 
and  convey  any  estate,  real  and  personal ;  and  may  have  a  common  seal,  and 
may  alter  the  same  at  pleasure,  and  by  virtue  of  this  act  shall  be  vested  with, 
possess  and  enjoy  all  the  estate,  real  and  personal,  rights,  privileges,  and  im- 
munities which  have  become  vested  in  the  inhabitants  of  said  city  in  their 
corporate  capacity  since  the  original  incorporation  thereof,  and  whereof  said 
city  has  never  been  lawfully  divested  hitherto;  and  said  city  shall  have  juris- 
diction in  civil  and  commercial  matters  on  the  Connecticut  River  opposite 
the  said  city,  and  constables  of  said  town  of  Hartford  and  police  officers  of 
said  city  shall  have  authority  to  execute  legal  process  on  said  river  opposite 
said  city ;  it  being  provided  that  said  city  shall  in  no  manner  regulate  or  in- 
terfere with  the  navigation  thereof,  or  impose  any  tax,  toll,  or  duty  on  the 
commerce  upon  said  river,  except  as  hereinafter  expressly  provided. 

Sec.  3.     Said  city  shall  remain  divided  into  ten  wards,  as  follows : 

FIRST  WARD. 

Beginning  at  a  point  on  Main  Street  opposite  the  center  of  Charter  Oak 
Street,  thence  running  easterly  through  the  center  of  Charter  Oak  Street  to 
the  Connecticut  River,  thence  northerly  along  the  west  bank  of  the  Connecti- 
cut River  to  a  point  opposite  the  center  of  Talcott  Street,  thence  westerly 
through  the  center  of  Talcott  Street  to  the  center  of  Main  Street,  thence 
southerlv  through  the  center  of  Main  Street  to  the  place  of  beginning. 

SECOND  WARD. 

Beginning  at  a  point  in  the  center  of  Main  Street  opposite  Talcott  Street, 
ihence  running  easterly  through  the  center  of  Talcott  Street  to  the  Connecti- 
cut River,  thence  northerly  by  the  Connecticut  River  to  the  City  line,  thence 
westerly  by  the  northern  boundary  line  of  the  City  to  a  point  where  the  New 
York,  New  Haven,  and  Hartford  Railroad  crosses,  thence  southerly  along 
the  center  of  the  track  of  the  New  York,  New  Haven  and  Hartford  Railroad 
to  the  center  of  Canton  Street,  thence  westerly  through  the  center  of  Canton 
Street  to  the  center  of  Windsor  A. venue,  thence  southerly  through  the 
center  of  Windsor  Avenue  to  the  center  of  Main  Street,  thence  southerly 
through  the  center  of  Main  Street  to  the  place  of  beginning. 

22^392 


THIRD  WARD. 

Beginning  at  a  point  on  Windsor  Avenue  opposite  Canton  Street,  thence 
running  easterly  through  the  center  of  Canton  Street  to  the  center  of  the 
track  of  the  New  York,  New  Haven  and  Hartford  Railroad,  thence  northerly 
along  the  center  of  the  track  of  the  New  York,  New  Haven  and  Hartford 
Railroad  to  the  northern  boundary  line  of  the  City,  thence  westerly  by  the 
northern  boundary  line  of  the  City,  to  a  point  opposite  the  center  of  Vine 
Street,  thence  southerly  in  a  straight  line  coincident  with  Vine  Street  pro- 
duced to  the  center  of  Vine  Street ;  thence  southerly  through  the  center  of 
Vine  Street  to  the  center  of  Albany  Avenue,  thence  easterly  through  the 
center  of  Albany  Avenue  to  the  center  of  Belden  Street,  thence  easterly 
through  the  center  of  Belden  Street  to  the  center  of  Windsor  Avenue,  thence 
northerly  through  the  center  of  Windsor  Avenue  to  the  place  of  beginning. 

FOURTH  WARD. 

Beginning  at  a  point  on  Little  River  opposite  the  center  of  Union  Place, 
thence  running  northerly  through  the  center  of  Union  Place  to  the  center  of 
Church  Street,  thence  easterly  through  the  center  of  Church  Street 
to  the  center  of  High  Street,  thence  northerly  through  the  center  of 
High  Street  to  the  center  of  Windsor  Avenue,  thence  northerly  through  the 
center  of  Windsor  Avenue  to  the  center  of  Belden  Street,  thence  westerly 
through  the  center  of  Belden  Street  to  the  center  of  Albany  Avenue,  thence 
westerly  through  the  center  of  Albany  Avenue  to  the  center  of  Vine  Street, 
thence  northerly  through  the  center  of  Vine  Street  to  Holcomb  Street,  thence 
northerly  in  a  straight  line  coincident  with  Vine  Street  produced  to  the  north- 
ern boundary  line  of  the  city,  thence  westerly  on  the  northern  boundary  line 
of  the  city  to  the  western  boundary  line  of  the  city,  thence  southerly  on  the 
western  boundary  line  of  the  city  to  the  center  of  Asylum  Avenue, 
thence  easterly  through  the  center  of  Asylum  Avenue  to  the  center 
of  Woodland  Street,  thence  northerly  through  the  center  of  Woodland 
Street  to  the  center  of  Collins  Street,  thence  easterly  through  the  center  of 
Collins  Street  to  the  center  of  Garden  Street,  thence  southerly  through  the 
center  of  Garden  Street  to  the  center  of  Asylum  Street,  thence  easterly 
through  the  center  of  Asylum  Street  to  the  center  of  Union  Place,  thence 
southerly  in  a  straight  line  to  the  place  of  beginning. 

FIFTH  WARD. 

Beginning  at  a  point  on  Main  Street  opposite  Mulberry  Street,  thence 
running  westerly  through  the  center  of  Mulberry  Street  to  the  center  of 
Little  River,  thence  westerly  by  the  Little  River  to  a  point  opposite  the  cen- 
ter of  Union  Place,  thence  northerly  through  the  center  of  Lliion  Place  to 
the  center  of  Church  Street,  thence  easterly  through  the  center  of  Church 
Street  to  the  center  of  High  Street,  thence  northerly  through  the  center  of 
High  Street  to  the  center  of  Main  Street,  thence  southerly  through  the 
center  of  Main  Street  to  the  place  of  beginning. 

SIXTH   WARD. 

Beginning  at  a  point  on  Main  Street  opposite  Mulberry  Street,  thence 
westerly  through  the  center  of  Mulberry  Street  to  the  center  of  Little  River, 
thence  westerly  by  the  center  of  Little  River  to  a  point  opposite  the  center 
of  Hungerford  Street,  thence  southerly  through  the  center  of  Hungerford 


Street  to  the  center  of  Park  Street,  thence  easterly  through  the  center  of 
Park  Street  to  the  center  of  Main  Street,  thence  northerly  through  the  center 
of  Main  Street  to  the  place  of  beginning. 

SEVENTH  WARD. 

Beginning  at  a  point  on  Main  Street  opposite  the  center  of  Charter  Oak 
Street,  thence  easterly  through  the  center  of  Charter  Oak  Street  to  the  Con- 
necticut River,  thence  southerly  by  the  Connecticut  River  to  the  southern 
boundary  line  of  the  City,  thence  westerly  by  the  southern  boundary  line  of 
the  City  to  the  center  of  Maple  Avenue,  thence  northerly  through  the  center 
of  Maple  Avenue  to  the  center  of  Webster  Street,  thence  northerly  through 
the  center  of  Webster  Street  to  the  center  of  Washington  Street,  thence 
northerly  through  the  center  of  Washington  Street  to  the  center  of  Park 
Street,  thence  easterly  through  the  center  of  Park  Street  to  the  center  of 
Main  Street,  thence  northerly  through  the  center  of  Main  Street  to  the  place 
of  beginning. 

EIGHTH  WARD. 

Beginning  at  a  point  on  Park  Street  opposite  the  center  of  Washington 
Street,  thence  southerly  through  the  center  of  Washington  Street  to  the 
center  of  Webster  Street,  thence  southerly  through  the  center  of  Webster 
Street  to  the  center  of  Maple  A.venue,  thence  southerly  through  the  center 
of  Maple  Avenue  to  the  southern  boundary  line  of  the  City,  thence  westerly 
by  the  southern  boundary  line  of  the  City  to  the  western  boundary  line  of 
the  City,  thence  northerly  by  the  western  boundary  line  of  the  City  to  a 
point  where  the  New  York,  New  Haven  and  Hartford  Railroad  crosses, 
thence  northerly  along  the  center  of  the  track  of  the  New  York,  New  Haven 
and  Hartford  Railroad  to  the  center  of  Park  Street,  thence  easterly  through 
the  center  of  Park 'Street  to  the  place  of  beginning. 

NINTH  WARD. 

Beginning  at  a  point  on  Little  River  opposite  the  center  of  Union  Place, 
thence  running  northerly  to  the  center  of  Asylum  Street,  thence  westerly 
through  the  center  of  Asylum  Street  to  the  center  of  Garden  Street,  thence 
northerly  through  the"  center  of  Garden  Street  to  the  center  of  Collins  Street, 
thence  westerly  through  the  center  of  Collins  Street  to  the  center  of  Sigour- 
ney  Street,  thence  southerly  through  the  center  of  Sigourney  Street  to 
Little  River,  thence  southerly  in  a  straight  line  coincident  with  Sigourney 
Street  produced  to  the  center  of  Park  Street,  thence  easterly  through  the 
center  of  Park  Street  to  the  center  of  Hungerford  Street,  thence  northerly 
through  the  center  of  Hungerford  Street  to  the  Little  River,  thence  easterly 
along  the  center  of  Little  River  to  the  place  of  beginning. 

TENTH  WARD. 

Beginning  at  a  point  on  Sigourney  Street  opposite  the  center  of  Collins 
Street,  thence  running  westerly  through  the  center  of  ColKus  Street  to  the 
center  of  Woodland  Street,  thence  southerly  through  the  center  of  Woodland 
Street  to  the  center  of  Asylum  Avenue,  thence  westerly  through  the  center  of 
Asylum  Avenue  to  the  western  boundary  line  of  the  City,  thence  southerly 
along  the  western  boundary  line  of  the  City  to  a  point  where  the  New  York, 
New  Haven  and  Hartford  Railroad  crosses,  thence  northerly  through  the 


center  of  the  New  York,  New  Haven  and  Hartford  Railroad  track  to  the 
center  of  Park  Street,  thence  easterly  through  the  center  of  Park  Street  to  a 
point  opposite  the  center  of  Sigourney  Street,  thence  northerly  in  a  straight 
line  coincident  with  Sigourney  Street  produced  to  the  center  of  Sigourney 
Street,  thence  northerly  through  the  center  of  Sigourney  Street  to  the  place 
of  beginning. 

ELECTIONS. 

Section  i.  Every  elector  of  this  State  having  the  qualifications  and 
complying  with  the  requirements  prescribed  by  law,  entitling  him  to  vote 
at  any  city  meeting,  in  said  city  for  the  election  of  officers  thereof,  shall  be  a 
freeman  of  said  city.  All  elections  hereafter  held  within  the  City  and  Town 
of  Hartford  shall  be  held  pursuant  to  the  provisions  of  the  statute  laws  of 
this  State  relating  to  elections. 

Sec.  2.  At  the  several  elections  held  within  the  City  and  Town  of  Hart- 
ford for  the  choice  of  city  officers,  those  only  shall  vote  who  are  registered  on 
the  corrected  lists  of  voters  last  before  completed,  including  those  added  on 
the  day  of  election ;  provided,  that  no  person  shall  vote  in  any  ward  meeting 
held  for  the  choice  of  city  officers  unless  he  shall  have  resided  in  such  ward 
sixty  days  next  preceding  the  day  of  said  ward  meeting.  If  such  person 
otherwise  qualified  to  vote  in  said  city  meeting  shall  have  removed  from 
one  ward  to  another  within  said  sixty  days,  he  shall  be  entitled  to  vote  in 
the  ward  in  which  he  last  resided  before  his  removal. 

Sec.  3.  Meetings  of  said  City  shall  be  held  annually  on  the  first  Mon- 
day of  April  for  the  choice  of  officers  and  such  other  proper  business  as  shall 
be  specified  in  the  warning  of  such  meeting  and  shall  be  warned  by  the  Mayor 
in  such  manner  and  held  at  such  places  within  the  several  wards  as  shall  be 
prescribed  by  the  ordinances  and  by-laws  of  said  City;  and  in  each  ward 
in  said  City  the  ballot  boxes  shall  be  opened  at  six  o'clo(;k  in  the  forenoon 
and  remain  open  until  five  o'clock  in  the  afternoon  and  no  longer.  Special 
meetings  of  said  city  may  be  called  and  held  in  such  manner  as  the  ordi- 
nances and  by-laws  of  said  City  shall  prescribe  and  may  be  adjourned  from 
time  to  time ;  and  all  questions  before  any  such  meeting  shall  be  determined 
by  a  major  vote  of  the  legal  voters  present  and  voting. 

Sec.  4.  At  the  meeting  of  said  city  on  the  first  Monday  of  April,  1906, 
and  biennially  thereafter,  the  freemen  of  said  city  shall  elect  from  among 
their  number  by  a  plurality  vote,  a  Mayor  who  shall  hold  office  for  two  years 
and  until  his  successor  is  chosen  and  qualified;  a  Town  and  City  Clerk,  a 
Collector,  a  Controller,  a  Treasurer,  a  Corporation  Counsel  and  a  City 
Sheriff,  each  of  whom  shall  hold  office  for  two  years  from  and  after  the  first 
day  of  May  next  succeeding  his  election  and  until  his  successor  is  chosen 
and  qualified. 

Sec.  5.  At  the  annual  meeting  of  said  city  holden  next  after  this  act 
shall  take  effect,  to  wit:  On  the  first  Monday  of  April,  1905,  and  annually 
thereafter  for  the  choice  of  officers  and  other  proper  business,  there  shall  be 
chosen  by  a  plurality  vote  in  each  ward  from  among  the  electors  entitled  to 
vote  therein,  one  Alderman  and  four  Common  Councilmen ;  the  Alderman  to 
hold  office  for  two  years  and  the  Councilmen  for  one  year  and  until  their  suc- 
cessors are  chosen  and  qualified. 

Sec.  6.  At  any  city  meeting  held  in  the  Town  and  City  of  Hartford, 
the  vote  of  the  electors  for  the  candidates  for  any  office  or  for  any  proposition 
acted  upon  at  such  meeting  may  be  taken  upon  any  of  the  voting  machines 
authorized  by  the  General  Statutes  to  be  used  in  city  elections. 


POWERS  AND  DUTIES  OF  THE  MAYOR. 

Section  i.  The  Mayor  shall  be  the  chief  executive  officer  of  the  city. 
He  shall  have  been  a  legal  resident  and  an  elector  of  the  city  for  the  five 
years  immediately  preceding  his  election,  and  shall  reside  in  the  city  during 
his  term  of  office.  Whenever  there  shall  be  a  vacancy  in  the  office  of  Mayor, 
or  whenever  the  Mayor  shall  be  prevented  by  absence  from  the  city,  by  ill- 
ness, or  by  any  other  cause,  from  attending  to  the  duties  of  his  office,  the 
president  of  the  Board  of  Aldermen,  or,  if  said  president  shall  be  absent  or 
disabled,  the  president  of  the  Board  of  Councilmen,  shall  act  as  Mayor  until 
the  Mayor  is  again  able  to  assume  the  duties  of  his  office  or  until  the  vacancy 
shall  be  filled  by  election,  and  said  acting  Mayor  shall  have  all  the  rights, 
powers  and  duties  of  said  Mayor,  except  the  powers  of  appointment  and  re- 
moval, until  the  vacancy  is  filled  or  the  Mayor  is  again  able  to  act. 

It  shall  be  the  duty  of  the  Mayor : 

1 .  To  cause  the  laws  and  ordinances  to  be  executed  and  enforced,  to  in- 
form the  prosecuting  attorney  of  all  violations  of  law  brought  to  his  atten- 
tion, and  to  conserve  the  peace  within  said  city.  He  shall  be  responsible  for 
the  good  order  and  efficient  government  of  said  city. 

2.  To  fill  by  appointment  vacancies  in  office  in  all  cases  in  which  he  is 
given  by  law  the  power  to  appoint. 

3.  To  communicate  to  the  Court  of  Common  Council  during  the  month 
of  May  next  succeeding  his  election,  and  semi-annually  thereafter,  or  oftener 
if  he  shall  deem  necessary,  a  general  statement  of  the  condition  of  the  city 
in  relation  to  its  government,  finances,  public  improvements,  and  affairs, 
with  such  recommendations  as  he  may  deem  proper. 

4.  To  call  special  meetings  of  the  Court  of  Common  Council  when  he 
may  deem  it  expedient. 

5.  To  sign  all  bonds  and  deeds  and  all  written  contracts  of  the  city 
made  either  by  the  Court  of  Common  Council  or  any  officer  of  the  City  in 
accordance  with  authority  conferred  upon  them  by  this  charter  or  the  ordi- 
nances. 

6.  To  either  approve  or  disapprove,  in  writing,  every  vote,  resolution, 
order,  or  ordinance  passed  by  the  Court  of  Common  Council.  If  he  approve 
it  or  fail  to  take  action  within  ten  days  after  the  passage  thereof,  such  vote, 
resolution,  order,  or  ordinance  shall  become  operative  and  effectual.  In  case 
the  Mayor  shall  fail  to  take  action  upon  any  vote,  resolution,  order,  or  ordi- 
nance passed  by  the  Court  of  Common  Council,  within  ten  days  after  the 
passage  thereof,  the  City  Clerk  shall  endorse  the  fact  upon  the  vote,  resolution, 
order  or  ordinance.  If  he  disapprove  it  he  shall  notify  the  City  Clerk  of  that 
fact  within  said  period  of  ten  days,  and  he  shall  transmit  in  writing  his  rea- 
sons for  such  disapproval  to  the  body  in  which  it  originated  at  its  next  meet- 
ing, and  such  vote,  resolution,  order,  or  ordinance  shall  not  become  operative 
and  effectual  unless  passed  over  his  veto  by  an  affirmative  vote  of  a  majority 
of  all  the  members  of  each  Board  of  the  Court  of  Common  Council,  present 
and  absent.  The  Mayor  may  also  approve  or  disapprove  any  part  of  any 
vote,  order,  ordinance,  or  resolution,  and  the  part  of  the  vote,  order,  ordi- 
nance, or  resolution  approved  shall  become  operative  and  effectual,  and  the 
part  disapproved  shall  be  void,  unless  passed  over  his  veto  in  the  manner 
aforesaid. 

The  Mayor  shall  have  power : 

I.  To  assume  the  entire  control  and  direction  of  the  police  and  fire 
forces  of  the  City,  or  either  of  them,  for  a  period  not  exceeding  five  days,  at 


his  discretion  in  case  of  emergency,  and  to  exercise  all  of  the  powers  con- 
ferred upon  the  fire  and  police  departments  in  relation  thereto. 

2.  To  exercise,  whenever  necessary  in  order  to  suppress  tumults,  riots, 
or  unlawful  assemblies,  within  the  limits  of  said  city,  all  the  powers  given 
by  law  to  sheriffs  in  relation  to  riotous  assemblages ;  and,  at  all  times,  when 
necessary,  to  require  the  aid  of  any  sheriff,  deputy  sheriff,  constable,  or 
policeman,  or  any  or  all  of  them  together,  to  assist  him  in  executing  the  laws 
within  the  limits  of  said  City. 

3.  To  make  requisition  for  the  several  companies  of  the  Connecticut 
National  Guard  and  the  divisions  of  naval  reserve,  or  any  of  them,  when- 
ever he  shall  have  reason  to  believe  that  great  opposition  will  be  made  to  the 
exercise  of  his  authority,  and  to  exert  all  the  force  necessary  to  enable  him 
to  execute  the  laws  within  the  limits  of  said  City. 

4.  To  call  together,  for  consultation  and  advice  upon  the  affairs  of 
the  City,  the  Street  Commissioner,  the  Water  Commissioner,  the  Commis- 
sioner of  Public  Safety,  the  Charity  Commissioner,  the  President  of  the 
Board  of  Park  Commissioners,  the  Corporation  Counsel,  the  City  Treasurer, 
the  Controller,  and  such  other  executive  and  administrative  officers  as  he  may 
deem  best ;  and  at  such  meetings  he  may  call  on  any  of  said  officers  for  such 
reports  as  to  the  matters  under  their  management  as  he  may  deem  proper. 

5.  To  appoint,  whenever  he  may  deem  it  best  to  do  so,  three  compe- 
tent, disinterested  persons,  no  more  than  two  of  whom  shall  be  of  the  same 
political  party,  to  examine  without  notice  the  affairs  of  any  department,  offi- 
cer, or  employe  of  said  City,  and  submit  the  results  of  said  examination  to 
him. 

6.  The  Mayor,  by  and  with  the  advice  and  consent  of  any  four  mem- 
bers of  the  Board  of  Aldermen,  may  remove  from  office  any  person  appointed 
by  him  or  any  of  his  predecessors,  for  cause. 

7.  To  administer  oaths  within  said  city. 

If  any  person  shall  hinder,  obstruct,  resist,  or  abuse  the  Mayor  in  the 
execution  of  his  office,  or  when  ordered  to  render  assistance  to  the  Mayor 
(being  of  sufficient  age  and  ability)  shall  refuse  or  neglect  to  do  so,  such 
offender,  being  thereof  duly  convicted,  shall  pay  a  fine  not  exceeding  one 
hundred  dollars,  or  shall  be  imprisoned  in  the  county  jail  not  exceeding  six 
months,  or  both,  at  the  discretion  of  the  court  having  cognizance  of  the 
offense. 

Every  commissioned  officer  and  soldier,  when  called  into  service  by  the 
Mayor,  as  aforesaid,  shall  have  the  same  pay,  and  in  case  of  disobedience 
be  subject  to  the  same  penalties,  as  if  called  into  service  by  the  sheriff  of  the 
County. 

CORPORATION  COUNSEL. 

Section  i.  There  shall  be  in  said  City  a  Corporation  Counsel,  to  be 
chosen  by  the  electors  of  said  City  and  to  hold  office  for  two  years  from  the 
first  day  of  May  following  his  election  and  until  his  successor  is  chosen  and 
qualified.  At  the  time  of  his  election,  he  shall  have  been  an  attorney  and 
counselor  at  law  of  this  State,  for  not  less  than  ten  years.  He  shall  hold 
no  other  office  in  the  city  government  during  his  term. 

Sec.  2.  He  shall  be  the  legal  adviser  of  the  City  and  its  departments, 
and  it  shall  be  his  duty  to  represent  said  City  in  all  civil  actions  in  any  court 
wherein  said  City  is  interested  (except  as  otherwise  provided),  and  to  give 
his  written  opinion  upon  any  legal  question  which  may  be  submitted  to  him 
by  the  Mayor,  or  by  the  Common  Council,  or  by  any  department,  or  by  any 


city  official  with  the  written  consent  of  \he  pA^jaff^ AV[  opinions  so  given  by 
him  shall  be  recorded  in  an  indexed  booklvwtich'jfetj^l^^all  J^e  kept  in  his 
office,  and  shall  be  the  property  of  the  City^Smj^JsSeL^f^nion?,  as  the  Mayor 
may  direct  shall  be  published  in  the  year  book  issued  next  after  such  opin- 
ions are  given.  He  shall,  when  so  directed  by  the  Mayor  or  Common  Coun- 
cil, represent  the  City  in  all  matters  pending  before  the  General  Assembly 
affecting  the  interests  of  said  City;  and  he  shall  perform  all  other  legal 
services  which  may  be  required  of  him  by  the  Common  Council,  or  by  law  or 
ordinance.  He  shall  annually,  during  the  month  of  April,  make  a  written 
report  to  the  Court  of  Common  Council  of  his  doings  for  the  year  next  pre- 
ceding, also  showing  the  condition  of  all  unfinished  business  in  his  hands. 
Sec.  3.  His  office  shall  be  kept  open  during  such  hours  as  the  Common 
Council  may  by  ordinance  direct.  He  shall  be  allowed  his  actual  clerical  ex- 
penses, and  a  reasonable  allowance  to  be  made  for  the  preparation  of  real 
estate  titles  as  hereinafter  provided.  He  may  employ  such  additional  counsel 
to  aid  in  any  legal  proceedings  as  shall  be  approved  by  the  Board  of  Public 
Works. 

CONTROLLER. 

Section  i.  The  City  Controller  shall  keep,  in  books  provided  for  that 
purpose,  accounts  with  each  of  the  city  departments,  with  such  of  the  city 
officers  as  may  be  designated  by  the  Board  of  Finance,  and  such  other  ac- 
counts as  the  City  Ordinances,  or  said  Board  of  Finance,  may  direct. 

Sec.  2.  He"  shall  prescribe  the  form  of  all  accounts  and  of  all  reports 
to  be  rendered,  and  have  the  inspection  and  supervision  of  the  accounts  of  all 
other  departments  and  officers  and  may  administer  oaths. 

Sec.  3.  He  shall  audit,  or  cause  to  be  audited,  the  accounts  of  the  sev- 
eral departments  and  of  all  city  officers,  at  least  once  in  every  six  months; 
and  shall  submit  to  the  Common  Council  on  or  before  the  tenth  day  of  June, 
and  on  or  before  the  tenth  day  of  each  third  month  thereafter,  a  report  of 
the  condition  of  each  of  said  accounts,  together  with  a  summary  of  all  ac- 
counts of  the  city,  exhibiting  the  revenues,  receipts,  and  expenditures,  the 
sources  from  which  the  revenues  and  funds  are  derived,  in  what  manner  the 
same  have  been  disbursed,  and  the  amount  drawn  against  each  item  of  the 
appropriations. 

Sec.  4.  He  shall  keep  a  separate  account  for  each  specific  item  of  the 
appropriations,  and  shall  require  all  warrants  to  state  specifically  against 
which  of  said  items  the  warrant  is  drawn.  Each  account  shall  be  accom- 
panied by  a  detailed  statement  in  a  separate  column,  of  unpaid  contracts  and 
outstanding  orders  charged  against  it. 

Sec.  5.  He  shall  not  suffer  any  appropriation  to  be  overdrawn,  or  the 
appropriation  for  one  item  of  expense  to  be  drawn  upon  for  any  other  pur- 
pose, or  by  any  department  other  than  that  for  which  the  appropriation  was 
specifically  made,  except  in  case  of  transfers  made  as  hereinafter  provided. 

Sec.  6.  Each  claim  or  account  against  the  city  excepting  claims  for 
salaries,  shall  be  first  verified  by  the  oath  or  affirmation  of  the  claimant  or 
his  authorized  agent,  if  required  by  the  Controller,  then  certified  to  be  cor- 
rect and  justly  due  by  the  officer  or  board  by  whom,  or  under  whose  authority 
the  same  was  contracted.  Pay-rolls  for  labor  may  be  audited  as  one  claim, 
but  individual  receipts  must  be  taken  by  the  representative  of  the  depart- 
ment who  shall  pay  the  laborers.  Such  claim  or  account  shall  then  be  trans- 
mitted to  the  Controller,  who  shall  examine  and  compute  each  bill  rendered, 
and,  on  finding  it  correct,  said  Controller  shall  number  the  various  claims. 


and  enter  them  in  books  kept  by  him  for  that  purpose ;  and  when  said  claims 
are  so  numbered  and  entered,  he  shall  draw  his  order  on  the  City  Treasurer 
for  the  several  amounts  due,  and  prepare  and  fill  out  receipts  in  accordance 
therewith;  provided,  that  for  any  sums  for  which  the  city  becomes  legally 
liable  upon  its  bonds  or  notes,  the  City  Clerk  may  draw  his  order  upon  the 
Treasurer,  upon  which,  when  countersigned  by  the  Mayor  and  Controller, 
said  sums  shall  be  paid.  In  case  of  the  absence,  inability,  or  disability  of  the 
Controller,  the  Mayor  shall  have  power  to  appoint  some  person  to  perform 
his  duties  temporarily. 

Sec.  7.  The  Controller  shall  give  bonds  to  the  city  in  the  amount  of 
twenty  thousand  dollars.  He  shall  have  an  office  provided  by  the  city,  and 
shall  keep  the  same  open  during  such  hours  as  the  Common  Council  by 
ordinance  may  direct. 

Sec.  8.  The  Controller  shall,  at  the  end  of  each  fiscal  year,  or  oftener 
if  so  required  by  the  Mayor,  and  also  upon  the  death,  resignation,  removal, 
or  the  expiration  of  the  term  of  any  officer,  audit  or  cause  to  be  audited,  ex- 
amine, and  settle  the  accounts  of  such  officer,  and  if  he  shall  be  found  in- 
debted to  the  city,  the  Controller  shall  state  an  account  and  file  the  same  with 
the  Corporation  Counsel,  together  with  a  copy  of  the  official  bond  of  such 
officer,  if  any,  and  give  notice  thereof  to  him  or  his  legal  representatives ;. 
and  the  Corporation  Counsel  shall  forthwith  proceed  to  collect  such  balance 
from  such  officer  or  his  sureties.  Notice  of  the  audit  shall  be  given  by  the 
Controller  to  the  officer  or  his  legal  representatives,  before  the  final  state- 
ment of  the  account ;  and  if  desired  by  such  officer  or  his  legal  representa- 
tives, opportunity  shall  be  given  for  a  hearing.  A  copy  of  such  notice,  with 
a  certificate  of  the  fact  of  service  thereof,  shall  be  filed  with  the  statement  of 
account,  as  evidence  of  service  of  notice. 

TREASURER. 

Section  i.  The  Treasurer  shall  have  the  same  power  and  authority  as 
Town  Treasurers  have,  and  shall  be  accountable  to  said  city.  He  shall  have 
the  custody  and  disbursement  of  all  funds  belonging  to  the  city,  and  he  shall 
be  treasurer  of  the  Town  Deposit  Fund,  which  fund  is  vested  in  the  City  of 
Hartford.  He  shall  have  an  office  provided  by  the  city,  which  shall  be  kept 
open  during  such  hours  as  may  be  by  ordinance  prescribed.  He  shall  be  al- 
lowed his  actual  office  and  clerical  expenses.  He  shall  give  bonds  to  the  city 
in  the  amount  of  fifty  thousand  dollars. 

Sec.  2.  All  city  funds  shall  be  deposited  in  such  banks  and  trust  compa- 
nies as  shall  be  designated  by  the  Board  of  Finance. 

Sec.  3.  The  Treasurer  shall  pay  all  orders  drawn  on  him  by  the  Con- 
troller in  the  order  in  which  they  shall  be  presented  to  him.  The  Treasurer 
shall  report  to  the  Board  of  Finance  on  the  first  Monday  of  each  month  the 
amount  of  money  belonging  to  said  city  in  his  hands,  also  the  sources  of  his 
last  month's  receipts,  and  shall  present  to  said  board,  each  month,  his  ac- 
counts for  the  month  next  preceding,  properly  audited  and  certified  by  the 
Controller. 

Sec.  4.     The  Treasurer  shall  countersign  all  bonds  and  notes  of  the  city. 

COLLECTOR. 
Section  i.  The  City  Collector  shall  have  all  of  the  powers,  and  be  sub- 
ject to  all  the  duties  imposed  by  law  upon  collectors  of  town  taxes,  and 
specially  conferred  on  the  Collector  of  city  taxes  for  Hartford.  He  shall  re- 
ceive and  collect  all  taxes  due  to  said  city,  and  no  discount  shall  be  allowed 
thereon.    All  taxes  shall  be  due  on  the  first  day  of  July,  and  on  all  taxes  re- 


maining  due  and  unpaid  after  the  first  day  of  August,  next  after  the  same 
are  laid,  one-half  of  one  per  cent,  shall  be  added  and  made  collectible  as  a 
part  of  such  tax,  and  a  further  sum  of  one  half  of  one  per  cent,  shall  be  in  like 
manner  added  and  made  collectible  on  the  first  day  of  each  succeeding  month 
thereafter  until  such  tax  is  paid.  He  shall  receive  and  collect  all  assessments 
of  every  kind  made  by  said  city  and  all  license  fees  payable  to  said  city. 
All  licenses  issued  by  any  city  department  or  officer  shall  be  presented  to  the 
City  Collector,  or  his  authorized  agent,  in  the  Collector's  office,  who  shall  re- 
ceive the  fee  prescribed  therefor,  and  shall  countersign  each  license  before 
the  same  shall  be  in  effect.  He  shall  cause  a  record  of  each  license,  so  count- 
ersigned, to  be  kept  in  his  office.  The  Mayor,  or  in  his  absence,  the  acting 
mayor,  shall  have  power  to  issue  a  warrant  for  the  collection  of  any  of  said 
taxes  or  assessments. 

Sec.  2.  It  shall  be  the  duty  of  the  Collector  to  report  to  the  corporation 
counsel,  on  the  first  Monday  of  September-  in  each  year,  ail  taxes  and  as- 
sessments upon  real  property,  which  have  not  been  abated  according  to  law, 
and  which  have  been  due  and  unpaid  for  the  period  of  ilii-ee  years;  and  all 
taxes  assessed  on  personal  property  which  have  not  been  abated,  according 
to  law,  and  which  have  been  due  and  unpaid  for  a  period  of  one  year ;  and  it 
shall  be  the  duty  of  the  corporation  counsel  to  proceed  forthwith  to  collect 
the  same,  bringing  suit  where  necessary.  Whenever  any  tax  due  to  said 
city  is  abated,  the  authority  making  the  abatement  shall  cause  notice  thereof 
to  be  given  forthwith  to  the  Collector. 

Sec.  3.  It  shall  be  the  duty  of  the  Collector  to  collect  all  poll  and  mili- 
tary taxes  from  persons  liable  to  pay  the  same,  and  to  report  to  the  Common 
Council  in  the  month  of  January  in  each  year  the  names  and  addresses  of  all 
persons  who,  being  liable  to  pay  such  taxes  on  the  first  day  of  July  next  pre- 
ceding, have  neglected  to  pay  the  same. 

Sec.  4.  Said  Collector  shall,  on  each  business  day,  deposit  with  the 
Treasurer  of  said  city  all  moneys  collected  by  him  during  the  twenty-four 
hours  then  ended,  and  shall  take  the  Treasurer's  receipt  for  the  same  in  dupli- 
cate, one  copy  of  which  he  shall  file  in  the  Controller's  office  forthwith. 

Sec.  5.  The  Collector  may  employ  such  clerical  assistance  as  the  Com- 
mon Council  shall  by  ordinance  provide,  and  said  Council  shall  limit  the  com- 
pensation of  such  clerks. 

Sec.  6.  Said  Collector  shall  give  bonds  to  the  city  in  the  amount  of  fifty 
thousand  dollars. 

CLERK  OF  THE  TOWN  AND  CITY. 

The  Town  and  City  Clerk  of  said  town  and  city  of  Hartford,  chosen  as 
hereinbefore  provided,  shall  continue  to  discharge  all  the  duties  required  of 
Town  Clerks  by  law  and  all  the  duties  of  City  Clerk  of  said  city.  He  shall 
be  Registrar  of  Vital  Statistics  and  shall  index  all  records  without  extra 
compensation  therefor.  On  the  first  week-day  of  each  month  said  Town 
Clerk  shall  make  report  to  the  Controller  of  all  fees  collected  by  him  during 
the  preceding  month  and  shall  pay  the  amount  of  the  same  to  the  City  Treas- 
urer. On  or  before  the  fifteenth  day  of  April  in  each  year,  beginning  in  1907, 
he  shall  submit  to  the  Mayor  an  account  of  his  doings  and  the  doings  of  his 
office  for  the  preceding  year  ending  March  thirty-first,  which  shall  contain  a 
statement  of  all  moneys  received  and  expended  during  said  year.  As  City 
Clerk  he  shall  be  clerk  of  the  Board  of  Aldermen  and  the  Board  of  Finance, 
and  shall  record  their  doings.  He  shall  send,  immediately  after  it  takes  ef- 
fect, a  copy  of  any  ordinance,  resolution,  or  order  of  the  Common  Council, 
and  any  resolution  or  order  of  any  board  or  committee  of  which  he  is  clerk, 
to  each  department  or  officer  affected  thereby.    He  shall  perform  such  other 


clerical  duties  as  may  be  required  by  the  ordinances  of  the  city.  He  shall 
publish  all  city  ordinances  as  soon  as  the  same  are  enacted,  and  record  the  fact 
and  date  of  such  publication.  He  shall  make,  upon  the  records  of  said  city, 
entries  of  his  own  acts  in  serving  and  publishing  notices  of  orders  passed  by 
the  Common  Council.  Said  Clerk  shall  devote  his  entire  time  to  the  service  of 
the  city,  and  shall  have  no  other  occupation  during  his  term  of  office,  and  he 
shall  keep  his  office  open  during  such  hours  of  each  business  day  as  the  ordi- 
nances of  the  city  shall  direct.  Said  Clerk  may  appoint  one  or  more  depu- 
ties, who,  after  having  taken  the  oath  or  affirmation  provided  by  law  for 
Town  and  City  Clerk,  shall  assist  said  Clerk,  and  when  acting  in  the  discharge 
of  their  clerical  duties  shall  have  all  the  powers  and  duties  of  said  Clerk. 
All  acts  of  said  deputies  and  all  records  kept  by  them  shall  have  the  same 
validity  and  effect  as  acts  and  records  of  said  Clerk.  Said  deputies  may  be 
removed  by  the  said  Clerk  at  any  time.  The  salary  of  said  Town  and  City 
Clerk  and  the  salaries  of  his  deputies  shall  be  fixed  by  the  Common  Council 
and  paid  by  said  city,  and  said  salaries  shall  be  in  lieu  of  all  other  com- 
pensation for  the  services  of  said  Clerk  and  his  deputies.  The  office  expenses 
of  said  Clerk,  when  approved  by  the  Common  Council,  shall  be  paid  by  said 
city.  All  records  hitherto  kept,  or  which  may  hereafter  be  kept,  by  any  Clerk 
or  Deput^^  Clerk  of  said  city,  shall  have  the  same  validity  as  the  records  of 
Town  Clerks,  and  shall  be  in  all  courts  prima  facie  evidence  of  the  truth  of 
the  matters  therein  recorded.  Of  any  official  records  hitherto  kept,  or  whi"ch 
may  hereafter  be  kept,  by  the  Clerk  of  said  city,  or  by  any  Deputy  Clerk 
thereof,  a  copy  certified  under  the  hand  of  any  such  recording  officer  shall  be 
received  in  all  courts  as  evidence,  in  the  same  manner  as  the  original  record 
would  be  received. 

CITY  SHERIFF. 
On  the  first  Monday  of  April,  1906,  there  shall  be  elected  a  City  Sheriflf, 
who  shall  have  within  said  city  the  powers  of  Constables  of  towns.  He  shall 
notify,  when  so  directed  by  the  Mayor,  the  Court  of  Common  Council  of  any 
meeting  of  either  body  or  any  committee  thereof ;  he  may  serve  any  civil  pro- 
cess returnable  to  or  issued  by  either  of  said  courts  or  any  committee  of  the 
same,  and  shall  serve  all  notices  issued  by  any  committee  or  department. 
He  shall  perform  all  duties  required  of  him  by  law  and  the  ordinances  of  the 
city.    After  the  passage  of  this  act  no  City  Marshal  shall  be  elected. 

BUILDING  INSPECTOR. 
The  Maypr  shall  appoint,  by  and  with  the  advice  and  consent  of  the 
Board  of  Aldermen,  a  Building  Inspector  and  a  Deputy  Building  Inspector, 
who  shall  hold  their  offices  for  two  years  from  the  first  day  of  January  next 
succeeding  their  appointment,  and  until  their  successors  are  chosen  and 
qualified.  Said  Building  Inspector  shall  be  Fire  Marshal  and  shall  have  all 
the  powers  and  perform  all  the  duties  reposed  in  and  required  of  said  officers 
by  the  statutes  of  the  State  and  the  ordinances  of  the  city. 

SEALER  OF  WEIGHTS  AND  MEASURES. 
Section  i.  The  Court  of  Common  Council  shall  biennially  elect  a 
Sealer  of  Weights  and  Measures,  to  serve  two  years  from  the  first  day  of 
June  following  his  appointment.  It  shall  be  his  duty  to  compare  all  scales, 
weights  and  measures  with  the  United  States  and  standard  weights  and 
measures  belonging  to  the"  city  of  Hartford.  Said  Sealer  of  Weights  and 
Measures  may  appoint  an  assistant,  whose  acts  shall  have  equal  authority 
with  his  own.  He  may  also  remove  said  assistant.  He  shall  perform  all 
other  duties  required  of  him  by  the  ordinances  of  the  city  or  imposed  upon 

12 


such  officers  by  the  Statute  Laws  of  this  State  now  existing  or  hereafter  en- 
acted;  and  it  shall  be  his  duty  to  cause  to  be  enforced  within  said  city  the 
Statute  Laws  of  the  State  and  the  ordinances  of  the  city  respecting  weights 
and  measures.  All  fees  paid  to  him  shall  be  paid  by  him  to  the  Treasurer 
monthly  and  an  account  thereof  rendered  by  him  monthly  to  the  Controller. 
His  salary  shall  be  fixed  by  the  Court  of  Common  Council. 

DEPARTMENT  OF  FINANCE. 

There  shall  be  in  said  city  a  Department  of  Finance,  which  shall  be  un- 
der the  control  of  a  board  consisting  of  the  -Mayor,  who  shall  be  its  presiding 
officer,  the  Treasurer,  the  Controller,  and  three  citizens,  none  of  whom  shall 
hold  any  other  office  in  said  city  government,  and  to  be  appointed  as  herein- 
after provided. 

The  necessary  expenses  of  said  board  shall  be  paid  by  the  city,  but  no 
member  of  the  board  shall  be  paid  for  his  services  as  a  member  thereof. 

Meetings  of  said  Board  of  Finance  shall  be  held  when  called  by  the 
Mayor,  and  reasonable  personal  notice  of  said  meetings  shall  be  given  to  the 
members  thereof,  or  written  or  printed  notice  shall  be  sent  to  the  residence 
of  each  member,  or  mailed  to  him  by  the  clerk  of  said  board  at  least  twenty- 
four  hours  before  the  time  of  holding  such  meeting. 

The  City  Clerk  shall  be  ex  officio  clerk  of  said  Board  of  Finance. 

During  the  month  of  April,  1905,  the  Mayor  shall  appoint  three  citizen 
members  of  said  board — one  to  hold  office  for  one  year,  one  to  hold  office  for 
two  years  and  one  to  hold  office  for  three  years — and  in  each  April  thereafter 
the  Mayor  shall  appoint  one  member  of  said  Board  of  Finance  for  a  terni  of 
three  years  from  the  first  day  of  May  next  succeeding. 

Said  Board  of  Finance  shall  have  direction  over  and  control  of  the  sink- 
ing fund  of  said  city,  and  shall  direct  where  the  same  shall  be  deposited  and 
how  the  same  shall  be  invested.  Said  sinking  fund  shall  be  paid  by  the  Col- 
lector to  the  City  Treasurer  and  deposited  in  some  bank  or  banks  as  directed 
by  said  Board  of  Finance,  in  the  name  of  the  city  of  Hartford,  subject  to 
draft  by  the  City  Treasurer  upon  the  counter-signature  of  the  Mayor,  and 
no  part  of  the  funds  so  deposited  as  a  part  of  the  sinking  fund  of  said  city 
shall  be  drawn  upon  or  invested,  except  as  ordered  by  said  Board  of  Finance. 

Said  Board  of  Finance  shall  designate  the  depositories  in  which  all  city 
funds  shall  be  kept,  and  may  designate  the  method  and  manner  in  which  the 
Controller  shall  keep  the  accounts  of  the  various  city  departments  and  the  ac- 
counts of  said  city  with  its  various  officers. 

Whenever  it  becomes  necessary  for  said  city  to  borrow  money  either  upon 
its  notes  or  by  the  issuance  of  bonds,  or  to  refund  any  of  its  existing  indebt- 
edness, the  Court  of  Common  Council,  before  acting  thereon,  shall  first  sub- 
mit the  matter  to  the  Board  of  Finance  for  its  investigation,  recommendation 
and  report. 

Said  Board  of  Finance  and  the  Ways  and  Means  Committee  of  the  Court 
of  Common  Council,  acting  jointly,  shall  in  the  month  of  February  in  each 
year,  make  estimates  of  the  moneys  necessary  to  be  appropriated  for  the  ex- 
penses of  said  city  for  the  year  next  ensuing,  beginning  April  first,  and  of  the 
rate  of  taxation  required  to  meet  the  same,  and  shall  classify'  the  said  ex- 
penses under  appropriate  heads  and  departments.  At  all  such  meetings  the 
Mayor  shall  preside,  and  in  his  absence  the  chairman  of  the  Ways  and  Means 
Committee  shall  preside. 

In  the  preparation  of  said  estimates  said  Joint  Committee  shall  give 
notice  to  each  board  or  department  of  a  definite  time  and  place  where  they 
will  meet  to  consider  the  needs  of  such  board  or  department,  and  said  body 


shall  recommend  such  tax  upon  the  polls  and  ratable  estates  within  the  limits 
of  said  city  as  it  shall  deem  necessary  to  meet  such  expenses.  Said  estimates 
and  the  rate  of  taxation  recommended  shall  be  submitted  to  the  Court  of 
Common  Council  at  its  first  regular  meeting  in  the  month  of  March  next  suc- 
ceeding, and  during  said  month  of  March  said  court  shall  proceed  to  con- 
sider and  act  upon  said  estimates  and  said  appropriations  and  rate- of  taxa- 
tion so  reported  by  said  Board  of  Finance  and  Ways  and  Means  Committee 
and  approved  by  the  Court  of  Common  Council  shall  be  final,  and  the  Court 
of  Common  Council  of  said  city  for  the  year  ensuing  shall  not  make  any  ap- 
propriation or  authorize  the  expenditure  of  any  sum  in  excess  of  the  esti- 
mates made  as  aforesaid,  excepting  upon  a  two-thirds  vote  of  said  Court  of 
Common  Council,  nor  shall  any  of  the  departments  of  said  city  expend  any 
sum  in  excess  of  said  estimates  except  the  same  be  authorized  by  a  two-thirds 
vote  of  said  Court  of  Common  Council. 

BOARD  OF  PUBLIC  WORKS. 

Section  i.  There  shall  be  in  said  city  a  Board  of  Public  Works,  which 
shall  consist  of  the  Mayor,  who  shall  be  its  presiding  officer,  and  the  Com- 
missioner of  Streets,  the  Commissioner  of  Charities,  the  Commissioner  of 
Public  Safety  and  the  Water  Commissioner.  The  necessary  expenses  of  said 
department  shall  be  paid  by  said  city. 

Sec.  2.  It  shall  be  the  duty  of  said  board  to  hold  a  regular  bi-weekly 
meeting  on  some  week-day  to  be  fixed  by  said  board,  and  said  board  may  hold 
a  special  meeting  at  any  time  on  personal  notice  to  the  members  thereof  or  on 
notice  mailed  to  each  member  by  the 'clerk  of  said  board  at  least  twenty-four 
hours  before  the  time  of  holding  such  meeting.  Such  special  meetings  shall 
be  called  by  the  Mayor  or  may  be  called  by  any  two  members  in  case  of  the 
absence  or  disability  of  the  Mayor. 

Sec.  3.  It  shall  be  the  duty  of  said  board  to  care  for  and  keep  in  repair 
the  public  buildings  belonging  to  said  city ;  to  confer  upon  the  afifairs  and 
conduct  of  the  several  departments  composing  said  Board  of  Public  Works, 
and  no  expenditure  of  the  funds  appropriated  to  either  of  the  Departments  of 
Streets,  Charities,  Public  Safety  or  Water,  except  those  specifically  appro- 
priated for  a  particular  purpose  in  the  annual  report  of  the  Board  of  Finance 
and  Ways  and  Means  Committee,  shall  be  made  by  any  of  the  said  depart- 
ments except  upon  the  affirmative  vote  of  the  Board  of  Public  Works. 

Sec.  4.  Said  board  shall  perform  such  other  duties  as  are  imposed  upon 
it  by  the  provisions  of  this  resolution  and  such  duties  as  the  Court  of  Com- 
mon Council  may  hereafter  by  ordinance  provide. 

Sec.  5.  Said  board  shall  act  as  a  Board  of  Contract  and  Supply,  and  it 
shall  be  its  duty,  after  public  notice  and  in  accordance  with  regulations  to 
be  prescribed  by  general  ordinance  of  the  Court  of  Common  Council,  to  let 
to  the  lowest  bidder,  who  shall  give  adequate  security  for  the  performance 
of  his  contract,  all  contracts  for  the  performance  of  any  work  or  for  the  sup- 
ply of  any  materials  for  the  use  of  any  department  of  the  city,  in  all  cases 
where  such  work  and  materials  will  cost  to  exceed  five  hundred  ($500.00) 
dollars,  unless  by  a  resolution  passed  by  a  two-thirds  vote  of  each  branch 
of  the  Court  of  Common  Council,  it  is  determined  to  be  impracticable  to  pro- 
cure such  work  or  materials  by  contract,  or  that  the  interests  of  the  city  re- 
quire that  such  work  or  materials  be  procured  otherwise,  or  unless  in  case  of 
accident  or  other  injury  by  which  the  heating  or  plumbing  system  of  any 
public  building,  or  by  which  any  of  the   fire  engines    or    hook    and    ladder 


trucks  or  any  of  the  pumps,  engines,  or  boilers  used  in  connection  with  the 
water  works  of  said  city  shall  become  disabled,  in  which  emergency  the  Com- 
missioner of  the  appropriate  department  shall  cause  such  repairs  thereto  to 
be  made  upon  the  filing  with  the  clerk  of  the  Board  of  Public  Works  a  certi- 
ficate approved  by  the  Mayor  showing  such  emergency  and  the  necessary 
repairs.    Said  board  shall  have  the  power  to  reject  any  and  all  bids. 

DEPARTMENT  OF  ENGINEERING. 

There  shall  be  in  said  city  a  Department  of  Engineering,  the  head  of 
which  shall  be  called  the  City  Engineer,  and  shall  be  appointed  by  the  Mayor 
by  and  with  the  advice  and  consent  of  the  Board  of  Aldermen,  and  shall  hold 
his  office  during  good  behavior  or  until  removed  for  cause  as  hereinbefore 
provided  for  other  appointees  of  the  Mayor. 

Said  Department  of  Engineering,  under  the  direction  of  the  Board  of 
Public  Works  or  of  the  Court  of  Common  Council,  shall  make  all  surveys, 
maps,  plans,  drawings,  specifications  and  estimates  relating  to  the  work  of 
said  Department  of  Public  Works,  or  any  bureau  or  division  thereof ;  or  for 
the  Court  of  Common  Council  or  any  committee  thereof,  or  for  the  Board  of 
Assessors ;  shall  superintend  the  construction  of  all  public  works  of  the  city 
of  Hartford  or  any  department  thereof  not  specially  entrusted  to  other  offi- 
cers, and  do  any  other  engineering  work  which  said  board  may  require ;  and 
shall  perform  such  other  duties  as  may  be  designated  by  said  Board  of  Public 
Works  or  by  the  Court  of  Common  Council.  He  shall  also  furnish  to  the 
Corporation  Counsel  a  copy  of  any  map  or  drawing  or  memoranda  in  his  pos- 
session, which  said  Corporation  Counsel  may  require  for  the  trial  of  any  case 
or  for  the  preparation  of  any  opinion. 

The  City  Engineer  shall  have  the  custody  of  all  maps  of  the  city  of 
Hartford  or  any  department  thereof  not  especially  entrusted  to  other  city 
officials  by  the  General  Statutes. 

All  employes  in  the  Engineering  Department  shall  be  appointed  and 
may  be  removed  by  the  City  Engineer.  The  salaries  of  all  employes  in  said 
department  exceeding  $ioo.(30  per  month  shall  be  fixed  by  the  Board  of 
Public  Works  upon  the  recommendation  of  the  City  Engineer.  The  sala- 
ries of  all  employes  of  said  department  not  exceeding  said  amount  shall  be 
fixed  by  the  City  Engineer,  provided  that  the  whole  expense  of  administer- 
ing said  department  shall  not  exceed  the  sum  appropriated  therefor  by  the 
Court  of  Common  Council  of  said  city. 

DEPARTMENT  OF  STREETS. 

Section  i.  There  shall  be  a  Department  of  Streets,  which  shall  be 
under  the  care  and  control  of  a  Commissioner,  to  be  appointed  by  the  Mayor, 
by  and  with  the  advice  and  consent  of  the  Board  of  Aldermen.  Said  Com- 
missioner shall  hold  office  during  good  behavior,  or  until  removed  for  cause 
as  hereinbefore  provided  for  other  appointees  of  the  Mayor.  The  Street 
Commissioner  when  appointed  shall  be  responsible  for  the  care  and  control 
of  all  streets,  avenues,  highways,  bridges,  sidewalks,  and  all  public  ways  and 
grounds  whose  care  is  not  expressly  devolved  upon  other  departments,  and 
for  improving  and  repairing  and  cleaning  the  same.  He  shall  have  control 
of  the  repairing,  cleaning  and  maintenance  of  all  sewers,  drains,  culverts, 
sluiceways  and  catch-basins,  and  of  the  location  and  regulation  within  the 
highway  limits  of  all  poles,  wires,  street  railway  tracks,  electric,  telegraph 
and  telephone  appliances,  and  of  all  conduits,  subject  to  the  provisions  of 

15 


special  and  general  laws.  He  shall  make  all  suitable  rules  and  regulations 
in  regard  to  said  department  and  the  conduct  of  its  business.  Said  commis- 
sioner shall  devote  his  entire  time  to  the  service  of  the  city,  and  shall  have  no 
other  occupation  during  his  term  of  office,  and  he  shall  keep  his  office  open 
during  such  hours  of  each  business  day  as  the  ordinances  of  the  city  shall 
direct.     His  compensation  shall  be  fixed  by  ordinance. 

Sec.  2.  He  shall  appoint  all  officers  and  employes  of  said  department 
and  shall  fix  their  compensation,  except  as  herein  otherwise  provided.  By 
written  order  giving  the  reasons  therefor,  he  may  remove  or  suspend  any 
officer  or  employe  of  such  department  appointed  by  him,  provided  such  writ- 
ten order  shall  be  recorded  in  the  records  of  the  department. 

Sec.  3.  He  shall  have  power  and  it  shall  be  his  duty  to  cause  to  be  exe- 
cuted all  orders  of  the  Court  of  Common  Council  for  the  lay-out,  construc- 
tion, alteration  or  discontinuance  of  highways,  streets,  gutters,  sidewalks, 
curbs  and  crosswalks,  the  exchange  or  sale  of  highways,  the  establishrnent  of 
building  lines,  the  erection  of  street  lamps,  the  raising,  filling  up  or  drain- 
ing of  low  lands,  and  all  other  orders  of  said  court  for  the  construction,  alter- 
ation or  repair  of  other  public  works  not  expressly  ordered  to  be  executed  or 
superintended  by  other  officers  or  persons.  He  shall  cause  the  prompt  com- 
pletion of  all  necessary  repairs  of  streets,  highways,  sewers,  and  public  works 
within  the  limits  of  the  streets,  highways  and  thoroughfares  of  the  city  other 
than  public  buildings,  and  shall  keep  all  public  places,  streets,  and  highways 
clear  of  obstructions  and  nuisances ;  shall  cause  the  prompt  removal  of  all 
filth,  encroachments,  encumbrances,  and  obstructions,  and  shall  require  all 
persons  to  conform  to  the  city  ordinances  in  the  use  of  said  streets,  highways, 
and  pubHc  places;  shall  co-operate  with  the  Health  and  Police  Departments 
in  their  orders  and  rules  relative  to  the  disposition  of  garbage,  ashes,  and 
rubbish ;  shall  superintend  and  provide,  subject  to  the  provisions  hereinbefore 
made,  for  the  lighting  of  the  streets,  and  in  general  may  do  all  acts  necessary 
or  proper  in  the  execution  of  the  powers  arid  duties  aforesaid.  The  Court  of 
Common  Council  shall  pass  no  vote  laying  out,  establishing  or  ordering  to  be 
constructed  any  new  street,  sidewalk,  curb,  gutter,  sewer,  street,  building  or 
veranda  lines,  or  any  alteration,  discontinuance  of,  or  improvement  relating 
to  streets  and  sewers  until  such  vote  or  the  petition  for  the  passage  of  such 
vote,  shall  have  been  referred  to  said  Street  Commissioner  for  investigation. 

Sec.  4.  The  Street  Commissioner  shall  appoint  a  clerk,  whose  salary 
shall  be  limited  by  the  Court  of  Common  Council.  It  shall  be  the  duty  of  said 
clerk  to  perform  the  clerical  work  of  said  department  and  to  preserve  for  the 
use  of -the  department  and  for  the  use  of  all  officers  of  said  city,  such  state- 
ment of  titles  to  real  estate  to  be  furnished  by  the  Corporation  Counsel  as 
may  facilitate  the  work  of  said  department  or  the  work  of  any  other  depart- 
ment or  officer  of  said  city  which  may  be  designated  by  the  Mayor.  Said 
clerk  shall  keep  a  record  of  the  acts  and  proceedings  of  said  department  and 
an  account  of  expenditures  and  receipts,  which  shall  be  open  to  the  inspec- 
tion of  any  member  of  the  Court  of  Common  Council.  Said  clerk  shall  be 
ex  officio  clerk  of  the  Board  of  Public  Works. 

Sec.  5.  Said  Street  Commissioner  shall,  as  of  the  thirty-first  day  of 
March  in  each  year,  make  a  report  to  the  Court  of  Common  Council  of  said 
city  of  all  receipts  and  from  what  sources,  and  of  all  expenditures,  and  for 
what  purpose,  which  have  been  received  and  expended  during  the  previous 
year,  and  shall  also  specify  what  orders  of  said  court  have  been  complied 
with  and  what  orders  have  not  been  carried  out  and  the  reasons  for  the  same, 
and  shall  present  said  report  with  such  recommendations  as  he  may  deem 

16 


best  concerning  the  management  of  his  department  to  said  Court  of  Com- 
mon Council  at  its  first  regular  meeting  after  said  thirty-first  day  of  Marcli. 

Sec.  6.  The  Street  Commissioner  may  order  the  owner  or  owners  of 
any  land  fronting  on  any  highway  or  street  in  said  city  to  construct  or  re- 
pair sidewalks,  curbs,  or  gutters  within  the  highway  adjacent  to  said  land 
in  the  manner  and  within  the  time  specified  in  such  order,  at  such  grade  as 
said  city  may  have  constructed  in  said  highway.  Notice  of  such  order  shall 
be  given  by  said  Commissioner  to  the  property  owner  afifected  by  said  order 
in  the  manner  prescribed  by  ordinance.  If  any  owner  shall  neglect  or  re- 
fuse to  comply  with  such  order,  or  to  remove  snow,  ice,  sleet,  dirt,  or  rub- 
bish from  the  sidewalk  adjacent  to  his  land  in  the  highway  required  by  or- 
dinance, it  shall  be  the  duty  of  the  Superintendent  of  Streets,  at  the  expense 
of  the  city,  to  perform  the  things  required  by  such  order  or  ordinance,  and 
the  expense  so  incurred  shall,  from  the  time  when  such  Superintendent  be- 
gins to  act  and  make  expense  in  the  premises,  be  and  continue  a  lien  and  real 
encumbrance  in  favor  of  said  city  upon  such  land.  Such  amount  may  also  be 
recovered  in  an  action  in  the  name  of  said  city. 

Sec.  7.     There  shall  be  the  following  bureaus  in  said  department : 

1st.  A  Bureau  of  Streets,  the  head  of  which  shall  be  appointed  by  the 
Street  Commissioner,  and  shall  be  called  the  Superintendent  of  Streets. 
Said  Superintendent  may  appoint  and  remove  his  own  subordinates,  except 
as  herein  provided,  subject  to  the  approval  of  the  Street  Commissioner.  He 
shall  have  charge,  under  said  Commissioner,  of  the  opening  of  all  new  streets 
and  the  improvement,  repair,  and  cleaning  of  all  streets,  avenues,  highways, 
alleys,  sidewalks,  curbs,  gutters  and  public  grounds  under  the  charge  of 
said  department.  The  salary  of  said  Superintendent  shall  be  limited  by 
ordinance  and  fixed  by  the  Street  Commissioner. 

2d.  A  Bureau  of  Sewers,  the  head  of  which  shall  be  appointed  by  the 
Street  Commissioner  and  shall  be  called  the  Superintendent  of  Sewers,  and 
which  office  may  be  filled  by  the  Superintendent  of  Streets  or  otherwise,  or 
if  approved  by  the  Board  of  Public  Works,  by  the  City  Engineer.  Said 
Superintendent  shall  appoint,  and  may  remove,  subject  to  the  approval  of 
the  Street  Commissioner,  his  own  subordinates,  except  as  herein  provided. 
Said  officer  shall  be  charged  under  said  Commissioner  with  the  repair, 
cleaning  and  general  maintenance  of  all  sewers,  drains,  sluiceways,  culverts 
and  catch-basins,  and  with  such  other  duties  as  may  be  designated  by  the 
Street  Commissioner  or  by  ordinance  of  the  Court  of  Common  Council.  The 
salary  of  said  Superintendent,  unless  he  be  the  City  Engineer,  shall  be  lim- 
ited by  ordinance  and  fixed  by  the  Street  Commissioner. 

3d.  A  Bureau  of  Engineering,  the  head  of  which  shall  -be  the  City 
Engineer,  which  shall  make  all  surveys,  maps,  plans,  drawings,  specifications 
and  estimates  relating  to  the  work  of  said  department ;  shall  superintend  the 
construction  of  sewers,  bridges  and  improved  pavements,  and  do  any  other 
engineering  work  required  by  the  department,  and  shall  care  for  and  pre- 
serve all  maps,  drawings,  surveys,  estimates,  papers  and  books  of  said 
bureau. 

4th.  A  Bureau  of  A.ssessment,  which  shall  consist  of  the  Board  of 
Assessors  of  the  city  of  Hartford. 

Sec.  8.  Said  Bureau  of  Assessment  shall  act  as  a  court  for  the  assess- 
ment of  betterments  and  appraisals  of  damages,  and  whenever  any  public 
work,  including  dykes,  shall  have  been  lawfully  laid  out  or  altered  by  the 
Court  of  Common  Council,  said  Bureau  of  Assessment  may  assess  the  whole 
or  any  part  of  the  expense  of  laying  out,  altering  and  making  such  public 

17 


work  (including  highways,  streets,  sidewalks,  curbs,  gutters,  sewers,  parks, 
public  walks,  openings  between  buildings,  the  establishment  of  street,  building 
and  veranda  lines,  sidewalks  and  cross-walks,  draining  low  lands,  or  filling  up 
the  same)  upon  the  persons  whose  property  is,  in  the  judgment  of  said 
Bureau  of  Assessment,  specially  benefited  thereby,  whether  the  land  of  such 
person  or  persons  abuts  upon  such  public  work  or  not,  and  estimate  the  pro- 
portion of  such  expense,  which  said  persons  shall  respectively  defray,  and 
enforce  the  collection  of  the  same ;  or  may,-  if  it  deems  proi)er,  assess  the 
expense  of  any  such  public  work  directly  upon  the  land  benefited  thereby, 
describing  said  land  in  said  assessments  by  metes  and  bounds,  specifying 
the  amounts  assessed  on  each  piece  so  described  respectively,  which  said 
land,  on  default  of  payment  of  said  assessment  within  six  months  after  public 
notice  thereof  shall  have  been  given,  shall  be  liable  to  be  sold  for  the  pay- 
ment of  the  same,  and  the  Court  of  Common  Council  shall  prescribe  by 'ordi- 
nance the  manner  of  proceeding  in  such  assessment  and  appraisal  and  the 
manner  of  giving  notice  of  said  assessment,  and  the  time,  manner  and  place 
of  sale  of  any  lands  so  assessed,  provided  always  that  before  taking  any  land 
or  private  property  for  any  of  the  public  uses  aforesaid,  said  bureau  shall 
agree  with  the  owner  or  owners  thereof  as  to  the  damage  done  thereby,  or 
shall  cause  to  be  made  a  fair  appraisal  of  s^ich  damage,  which  shall  be  the 
actual  damage  done  to  the  property  of  such  owner  or  owners,  by  taking  said 
land  or  private  property  without  deducting  therefrom  any  benefits  on  ac- 
count of  such  public  work,  and  shall  pay  to  or  deposit  the  same  for  the  bene- 
fit of  such  owner  or  owners.  And  provided  further,  that  it  shall  be  the  duty 
of  the  Court  of  Common  Council  to  enact  ordinances  containing  suitable  pro- 
vision for  giving  notice  to  all  persons  interested  in  any  property  so  taken  of 
the  proceedings  of  said  court,  in  that  behalf  and  of  the  appraisal  of  damages. 
The  City  Engineer  and  Corporation  Counsel  shall  attend  all  hearings  given 
by  the  Bureau  of  Assessment  upon  the  assessment  of  benefits  or  appraisals 
of  damages  and  render  such  assistance  in  the  interest  of  the  city  as  may  be 
required  of  them  in  said  proceedings. 

Sec.  9.  Before  any  public  work  or  improvement,  for  the  cost  of  which 
the  city  of  Hartford  under  its  charter  may  assess  benefits,  shall  be  laid  out 
or  constructed,  the  cost  of  the  same,  including  damages  to  be  paid,  shall  be 
.ascertained  by  the  Court  of  Common  Council  of  said  city,  and  all  benefits  to 
be  paid  by  the  persons  benefited  thereby  shall  be  ascertained  as  follows :  The 
vote  or  resolution  proposing  the  layout  or  construction  of  such  work  or  im- 
provement shall  be  by  said  Court  of  Common  Council  referred  to  the  Street 
Commissioner,  who  shall  first  estimate  the  cost  of  the  construction  of  such 
work  or  improvement.  It  shall  then  be  referred  to  the  Bureau  of  Assess- 
ment, which  shall  appraise  the  damages  to  be  paid  to  any  person  for  land 
or  any  interest  therein  taken  for  such  improvement,  and  shall  also  assess 
the  said  cost  of  construction  and  the  amount  of  such  damages  upon  the  per- 
sons benefited  thereby  as  hereinbefore  provided,  subject  to  the  right  of  ap- 
peal. Upon  the  completion  of  such  proceedings,  the  Bureau  of  Assessment 
shall  report  the  same  to  said  Court  of  Common  Council  with  its  recommen- 
dations, and  said  Court  of  Common  Council  may  thereupon  direct  the  lay- 
out or  construction  of  such  work  or  improvement  at  its  discretion. 

Sec.  10.  Appeals  may  be  taken  from  the  assessment  of  benefits  only, 
but  if  taken  from  the  appraisal  of  damages  shall  be  from  the  said  appraisal 
and  also  from  the  assessment  of  benefits  made  at  the  same  time  and  for  the 
same  public  w^ork.  Such  appeals  shall  be  taken  from  the  action  of  the 
Bureau  of  Assessment  to  the  judge  of  the  Court  of  Common  Pleas  for  the 


county  of  Hartford,  and  shall  be  taken  within  ten  days  after  public  notice 
shall  be  given  of  such  appraisal  or  assessment,  and  shall  be  by  suitable  peti- 
tion in  writing  setting  forth  the  whole  of  said  assessment  or  appraisal  and 
assessment  appealed  from,  and  asking  for  a  reappraisal  and  reassessment, 
or  for  a  re-assessment  only,  with  a  citation  attached  thereto  signed  by  any 
authority  authorized  to  sign  writs  and  returnable  before  said  judge  at  2 
o'clock  in  the  afternoon  on  the  day  three  weeks  subsequent  to  the  day  on 
which  public  notice  of  said  appraisal  shall  have  been  given,  and  said  cita- 
tion shall  be  served  upon  the  Clerk  of  said  city  at  least  six  days  before  the 
return  day  thereof. 

Sec.  II.  As  many  of  the  parties  interested  as  may  choose  to  do  so 
niay  join  in  such  appeal,  and  when  separate  appeals  are  taken  by  different 
parties  from  one  assessment  and  appraisal,  all  such  appeals  shall  be  heard 
and  tried  as  one  cause. 

Sec.  12.  Such  appeals  may  be  heard  by  said  judge,  but  shall,  upon 
the  motion  of  any  party  thereto,  or  person  interested  therein,  be  referred  to 
a  committee  for  hearing. 

Sec.  13.  If,  upon  the  hearing  of  any  appeal,  the  judge  or  committee 
shall  find  cause  to  alter  said  appraisal  and  assessment,  or  assessment  of 
benefits  only,  then  said  .judge  or  committee  shall  proceed  to  re-apportion 
the  whole  amount  of  the  damages  and  benefits,  or  benefits  only,  upon  the  per- 
sons or  land  specially  benefited. 

Sec.  14.  If  the  judge  or  committee  hearing  said  appeal  shall  be  of 
opinion  that  persons  other  than  those  who  appear  upon  the  record  are  inter- 
ested in  the  subject  matter  of  said  appeal,  said  judge  or  committee  shall 
cause  the  appellants  to  give  notice  of  the  pendency  of  the  proceedings  to 
such  other  persons,  which  notice  shall  be  by  publication  in  one  or  more  news- 
papers published  in  said  city  for  such  time  and  in  such  form  as  said  judge 
or  committee  shall  direct. 

Sec.  15.  Said  judge  shall  have,  for  the  purpose  of  disposing  of  said 
appeal,  all  the  power  of  the  Superior  Court,  and  may  render  judgment  there- 
on and  mav  tax  costs  in  favor  of  either  party  and  issue  execution  for  said 
costs  to  be  taxed  as  upon  civil  process  in  the  Superior  Court. 

Sec.  16.  Said  judge  shall,  when  the  proceedings  in  any  case  arising  un- 
der this  act  are  closed,  return  all  the  papers  connected  with  the  case  to  the 
Clerk  of  said  city,  to  be  kept  by  him  on  file,  and  all  appeals  wdiich  may  here- 
after be  taken  from  any  appraisal  of  damages  or  assessments  of  benefits  made 
by  the  Bureau  of  Assessment  of  the  city  of  Hartford  to  the  Judge  of  the 
Court  of  Common  Pleas  for  the  county  of  Hartford,  and  which  shall  be 
l^ending  at  the  time  of  the  completion  of  the  term  of  service  of  said  Judge, 
shall  be  heard  and  disposed  of  as  fully  and  completely  by  the  successor  of 
such  Judge  as  said  appeals  might  have  been  by  the  Judge  to  whom  the\' 
were  originally  taken,  and  nothing  in  this  act  shall  affect  any  appeal  from 
the  Board  of  Street  Commissioners  now  pending. 

Sec.  17.  Upon  the  final  layout  or  completion  of  the  construction  of 
any  such  public  work  the  Street  Commissioner  shall  give  notice  thereof, 
and  that  said  benefits  are  due  and  payable,  by  publication  twice  in  two  daily 
newspapers  published  in  said  city,  and  all  benefits  assessed  therefor  shall 
be  immediately  due  and  payable.  If  the  actual  cost  of  the  construction  of 
any  public  work  shall  be  less  than  the  sum  estimated  by  the  Street  Com- 
missioner and  assessed  upon  the  parties  benefitc^d,  each  of  the  parties  so  as- 
sessed shall  be  entitled  to  a  proportionate  deduction  from  his  assessment. 
Said  benefits  shall  be  a  lien  upon  the  land  on  account  of  which  they  were  as- 

19 


sessed,  which  said  Hen  shall  CGmmence  and  attach  to  said  land  from  the  tinie 
of  the  passage  by  the  Court  of  Common  Council  of  the  vote  laying  out  or 
ordering  the  construction  of  said  work,  provided  that  the  same  shall  not  re- 
main a  lien  thereon  for  a  longer  period  than  three  months  from  the  date  of 
the  last  publication  provided  for  in  this  section,  unless  the  Street  Commis- 
sioner shall  within  that  time  lodge  with  the  Town  Clerk  of  the  town  of 
Hartford  for  record  a  certificate  signed  by  him  describing  the  premises,  the 
amount  assessed  and  the  improvement  for  which  it  was  assessed. 

Sec.  1 8.  In  all  cases  in  which  the  Court  of  Common  Council  shall  have 
agreed  upon  with  or  appraised  to  any  person  or  persons  damages  for  taking 
any  land  or  private  property  for  any  public  work  in  said  city,  and  shall  also 
have  assessed  betterments  on  account  of  the  same  jiublic  work  upon  the 
owner  or  owners  of  such  land  or  ])rivate  property,  or  upon  such  land  or  pri- 
vate property,  the  amount  of  such  assessment  shall  l)e  an  offset  against  such 
damages,  and  the  City  Treasurer  mav  credit  such  owner  or  owners  with 
the  amount  of  such  assessment  so  assessed  upon  or  payable  by  him  or  them, 
and  the  entry  of  such  credit  upon  the  books  of  said  Treasurer  shall  have  the 
same  effect  as  the  payment  to  such  owner  or  owners  so  credited  in  whole  or 
part  payment,  as  the  case  may  be,  of  the  sum  appraised  for  such  damages, 
but  the  Court  of  Common  Council  may,  in  any  indivi4ual  case  where  they 
see  fit,  pay  the  whole  of  such  damages  and  collect  the  assessments  of  better- 
ments as  heretofore. 

Sec.  19.  Whenever  it  shall  be  necessary  for  the  proper  construction  of 
any  bridge,  sewer,  culvert,  highway,  embankment  or  other  public  work  or 
improvement  in  the  city* of  Hartford,  or  for  the  protection  and  security  of 
any  such  public  work  already  constructed,  it  shall  be  lawful  for  the  Court 
of  Common  Council  of  said  city  to  direct  and  for  the  Street  Commissioner 
to  cause  any  stream  or  water  course  not  navigable  within  the  limits  of  said 
citv  to  be  changed  and  diverted  from  its  natural  or  ])resent  channel,  into  a 
new  or  different  channel.  ^' 

Sec.  20.  Before  causing  any  stream  or  water  course  to  be  diverted  as 
provided  in  the  preceding  section,  the  said  Street  Commissioner  shall  agree 
with  the  owner  or  owners  of  any  property  or  franchise  which  may  be  re- 
quired for  the  said  purpose  as  to  the  amount  of  compensation  or  damage 
to  be  paid  to  the  said  owner  or  owners  *fcr  the  same,  and  in  case  of  disagree- 
ment between  said  commissioner  and  any  such  owner  or  owners  as  to  the 
amount  of  such  damage  or  compensation,  then  the  same  shall  be  appraised 
in  the  same  manner  hereinbefore  provided  for  the  appraisal  of  damages  for 
the  laying  out  of  highways,  and  any  pers.ui  aggrieved  by  said  appraisal  shall 
have  the  same  right  of  appeal  as  parties  aggrieved  by  the  appraisal  of  dam- 
ages in  laying  out  highways.  This  act,  however,  shall  not  be  so  construed 
as  to  impose  any  new  liability  for  damages  lipon  said  city  for  any  change  in 
any  water  course  indirectly  or  necessarily  resulting  from  the  legal  layout 
and  construction  of  any  public  work  already  built  or  hereafter  to  be  built. 

Sec.  21.  The  Court  of  Common  Council  of  the  city  of  Hartford  is 
hereby  authorized  whenever  in  its  opinion  the  public  health  or  proper  sewer- 
age of  said  city  requires  such  action,  to  take,  occupy,  and  appropriate  in 
such  manner  as  they  shall  from  time  to  time  deem  expedient,  any  stream  or 
part  of  a  stream,  natural  or  artificial,  running  in  or  through  said  city,  and  to 
straighten,  deepen,  or  lower  the  same,  or  lower,  alter,  or  remove  any  or  all 
walls,  dams,  flumes  or  other  obstruction  toi  the  free  and  healthy  flow  of  such 
stream  or  part  of  a  stream,  or  raise  any  of  said  dams,  or  build  and  maintain 
other  dams  where  the  public  health  or  convenience  miay  require,  or  to  cover 


any  such  stream  or  part  thereof,  by  arches,  culverts,  or  other  struc- 
tures, or  to  divert  the  w^ater  from  such  stream  or  part  thereof,  and 
cause  it  to  flow  through  a  sewer  or  other  aqueduct  built  in  and  lipon  the  bed 
of  such  stream,  or  laid  in  the  earth  in  or  near  either  bank  thereof,  or  to  re- 
move or  cause  to  be  removed,  or  alter  any  or  all  structures  which  at  any  sea- 
son of  the  year  cause  the  accumulation  of  stagnant  water  or  interrupt  in  any 
manner  the  free  and  healthy  flow  of  any  part  of  said  stream. 

Sec.  22.  Whenever  said  Common  Council  shall  take  action  under  the 
foregoing  power,  the  vote  or  resolution  proposing  said  improvement  shall 
be  referred  to  the  Street  Commissioner  of  said  city,  who  shall  cause  to  be 
prepared  a  descriptive  survey  of  the  improvement  proposed,  with  a  careful 
estimate  of  the  cost  of  completing  the  same,  and  agree  if  possible  with  the 
parties  interested  upon  the  damages  and  special  benefits  on  account  of  such 
improvement.  He  shall  give  notice  ten  days  prior  to  the  time  appointed  in 
said  notice  for  said  hearing  in  two  daily  newspapers  published  in  said  city, 
of  a  time  and  place  for  meeting  all  parties  interested  in  said  improvement, 
and  if  at  such  meeting  no  agreement  can  be  made,  said  city  may  proceed  in 
the  manner  provided  in  the  next  succeeding  section.  But  if  such  agreement 
shall  be  made  by  said  Commissioner  and  ratified  by  said  Common  Council, 
the  sums  agreed  upon  having  been  paid  to  the  parties  entitled  thereto,  or 
deposited  to  their  credit  in  the  City  Treasury,  said  city  may  proceed  with 
and  complete  said  improvement,  and  do  all  things  necessary  or  convenient 
for  that  purpose  without  further  liability. 

Sfx.  23.  If  said  Street  Commissioner  shall  be  unable  to  agree  with  the 
parties  interested  upon  the  damages  or  benefits  to  be  paid  on  account  of  such 
improvement;  the  Superior  Court  for  Hartford  county  may,  on  application 
of  said  city,  after  causing  such  notice  to  be  given  of  the  pendency  of  such 
application  as  said  court  shall  order,  appoint  three  judicious  and  disinter- 
ested freeholders  of  the  county  of  Hartford  to  estimate  the  damages  and 
benefits  resulting  from  said  improvement ;  and  said  committee  having  been 
duly  sworn,  and  having  given  notice  of  the  time  and  place  of  their  meeting 
for  the  purpose  aforesaid,  by  publishing  the  same  not  less  than  three  times 
in  each  of  two  newspapers  published  daily  in  said  city  at  least  ten  days  prior 
to  said  meeting,  shall  meet  at  the  time  and  place  designated,  and,  having 
heard  all  parties  in  interest  who  shall  appear  before  them,  shall  determine 
what  parties  will  be  damaged  by  said  improvement  in  excess  of  special  bene- 
fits and  the  amount  thereof ;  also  what  parties  owning  or  interested  in  lands, 
easements,  or  franchises  within  a  reasonable  distance  of  said  improvement 
will  receive  special  benefit  over  all  damage  and  the  amount  thereof ;  and  also 
what  parties  will  receive  an  equal  amount  of  damage  and  benefit ;  and  there- 
upon said  committee  shall  report  in  writing  to  said  court,  which  may  con- 
firm, correct,  alter,  or  set  aside  said  report  and  decide  all  questions  that  may 
be  raised  in  the  proceedings.  If  said  report  shall  be  set  aside,  said  com- 
mittee, or  a  new  one  to  be  appointed  by  said  court,  shall  proceed  as  before, 
and  their  report  being  finally  accepted  by  such  court  shall  be  confirmed  by 
the  order  or  decree  of  said  court ;  and  said  report  and  order  or  decree  shall 
be  recorded  by  the  Clerk  of  the  Superior  Court  for  Hartford  county,  and 
the  award  of  damages  and  benefits  therein  contained  shall  be  final  between 
the  parties,  and  said  damages  being  paid  or  deposited  as  before  provided, 
said  city  may  proceed  with  and  complete  said  public  improvement,  and  do  all 
acts  necessary  or  convenient  for  that  purpose  without  further  liability. 

Sec.  24.  All  amounts  due  to  said  city  as  special  benefits  under  the  pre- 
ceding sections,  whether  reached  by  agreement  or  assessment,  may  be  col- 


lected  by  warrant  under  the  hand  of  the  Mayor  or  Acting  Mayor  of  said 
city,  directed  to  the  Collector  thereof,  who  shall  enforce  the  same  in  the  same 
manner  as  tax  warrants  are  served  and  enforced.  Every  such  amount  shall 
also  be  and  remain  a  lien  upon  the  land  or  other  property  on  account  of 
which  it  was  assessed,  which  said  lien  shall  commence  and  attach  to  said  land 
from  the  time  the  Common  Council  shall  take  action,  laying  out  or  ordering 
said  improvement ;  provided,  that  the  same  shall  not  remain  a  lien  thereon 
for  a  longer  period  than  three  months  after  the  final  completion  and  ac- 
ceptance of  said  work  or  improvement,  unless  the  Street  Commissioner  shall 
within  that  time  lodge  with  the  Town  Clerk  of  the  town  of  Hartford,  for 
record,  a  certificate  signed  by  the  Street  Commissioner,  describing  the  prem- 
ises, the  amount  assessed,  and  the  improvement  for  which  it  was  assessed. 
Sec.  25.  Upon  the  completion  of  said  work  or  improvement,  the  said 
Street  Commissioner  shall  give  notice  thereof,  and  that  said  benefits  are  due 
and  payable,  by  publication  twice  in  two  daily  newspapers  published  in  said 
city,  and  all  benefits  assessed  thereon  shall  be  immediate!/  due  and  pay- 
able. If  the  actual  cost  of  the  construction  of  such  improvement  or  public 
work  shall  be  less  than  the  sum  assessed  upon  the  parties  benefited,  each  of 
the  parties  so  assessed  shall  be  entitled  to  a  proportionate  deduction  from  his 
assessment. 

WATER  DEPARTMENT. 

Section  i.  There  shall  be  a  Department  of  Water,  which  shall  be  un- 
der the  care  and  control  of  a  Commissioner  to  be  appointed  by  the  Mayor, 
by  and  with  the  advice  and  consent  of  the  Board  of  Aldermen.  Said  Com- 
missioner shall  hold  office  during  good  behavior  or  until  removed  for  cause 
as  hereinbefore  provided  for  other  appointees  of  the  Mayor.  He  shall  de- 
vote his  whole  time  and  attention  to  the  construction,  extension,  supervision, 
care  and  management  of  the  water  works.  His  salary  shall  be  fixed  by  city 
ordinance.  He  shall  have  power  to  appoint  a  secretary,  who  shall  keep  full 
and  accurate  records  of  the  department  and  shall  file  and  preserve  all  papers 
belonging  to  the  department;  a  cashier,  who  shall  give  bonds  to  the  city  in 
the  sum  of  $20,000,  and  also  necessary  superintendents  of  the  works,  to  act 
under  his  instructions  ;  and  may  also  employ  such  other  laborers,  servants  and 
agents,  as  may  be  necessary  for  the  prosecution  of  the  business  entrusted 
to  his  charge,  and  may  remove  the  same  at  pleasure ;  and  may  fix  the  com- 
pensation of  said  clerk,  superintendent  or  employes,  subject  to  the  approval 
of  the  Board  of  Finance. 

Sec.  2.  He  shall  have  the  care,  control  and  management  of  all  prop- 
erty connected  with  the  water  works  of  the  city  of  Hartford,  and  shall  pro- 
vide for  the  proper  preservation  and  maintenance  thereof.  He  shall  cause 
the  prompt  completion  of  all  repairs  thereon,  and  the  extension  of  service 
pipes  as  the  same  shall  be  needed.  The  proceeds  of  all  bonds  issued  by  the 
city  for  construction  expenditures  in  its  Water  Department  shall  be  ex- 
pended only  upon  the  requisition  of  the  Board  of  Finance. 

Sec.  3.  He  shall  establish  the  rates  for  the  use  of  water,  subject  to  the 
approval  of  the  Common  Council ;  and  whenever  any  rent  shall  remain  un- 
paid after  the  time  prescribed  and  limited  for  payment  by  the  rules  of  said 
Commissioner,  it  shall  be  lawful  for  said  city  to  charge  and  receive  addi- 
tional percentage  for  collecting  the  same ;  provided,  the  conditions  of  said 
percentage  be  published  in  the  same  manner  as  the  by-laws  made  by  said 
city  for  the  preservation  of  said  water  works. 

Sec.  4.     He  shall  collect  all  sums  due  for  the  use  of  water,  including 


all  percentages  for  delayed  payment,  and  shall  pay  over  to  the  City  Treas- 
urer each  day  the  money  so  collected. 

Sec.  5.  The  Common  Council  shall  pass  no  vote  or  resolution  ordering 
or  establishing  new  mains,  or  any  alteration  in  said  water  works,  until  such 
vote,  or  petition  asking  for  the  passage  of  such  vote,  shall  have  been  re- 
ferred to  the  Commissioner  for  investigation.  Any  claim  or  debt  due  for 
the  use  of  the  water  or  for  service  pipes  shall  be  and  constitute  a  lien  upon 
the  land,  building,  tenement  or  premises,  upon  or  in  connection  with  which 
said  water  or  pipe  are  used,  against  the  owner  of  the  same,  his  heirs  or  as- 
signs, until  such  claim  or  debt  is  fully  paid ;  but  the  same  shall  not  remain 
a  lien  for  a  Jpnger  period  than  three  months  after  the  same  becomes  due,  un- 
less a  certificate  shall  be  lodged  by  the  said  Commissioner  with  the  Town 
Clerk  of  the  town  of  Hartford,  and  signed  by  him  or  his  secretary,  describ- 
ing the  premises  and  the  amount  claimed  under  said  lien.  And  said  lien 
may  be  foreclosed  in  the  name  of  said  city  at  any  time  after  said  debt  or 
claim  is  due  and  payable,  before  the  Court  of  Common  Pleas  for  Hartford 
County,  in  the  same  manner  as  a  mortgage  is  foreclosed,  or  may  be  collected 
of  the  person  or  persons  liable  therefor  in  an  action  before  the  said  court. 

Sec.  6.  The  city  of  Hartford  by  said  Water  Commissioner,  is  hereby 
empowered  to  take  and  convey  from  the  Connecticut  river  and  from  any 
water  source  or  supply  in  the  towns  of  Hartford,  West  Hartford,  Avon, 
Farmington  and  Bloomfield  such  supply  of  water  as  the  convenience  or 
necessity  of  the  inhabitants  of  said  city  or  the  inhabitants  of  any  of  said 
towns  who  Hve  upon  the  line  of  the  main  pipe  carrying  such  water  supply 
may  require,  and  may  also  extend  and  continue  said  water  main  from  the 
north  line  of  the  town  of  Wethersfield  through  the  highway  to  the  Con- 
necticut State  Prison,  and  to  such  other  points  in  the  town  of  Wethersfield 
as  may  have  been  or  may  hereafter  be  agreed  upon  between  said  Commis- 
sioner or  said  city  and  the  Selectmen  of  said  town  of  Wethersfield.  And 
said  city  of  Hartford  is  empowered  to  take  and  hold,  and  said  Commissioner 
to  acquire,  lands  and  other  estate  in  said  city  or  towns  necessary  for  the  con- 
struction of  any  canals,  aqueducts,  reservoir  and  other  works  for  conveying 
or  containing  water,  or  for  laying  any  pipes  or  conductors  for  conveying 
water  into  or  through  said  city  or  towns,  or  to  secure  or  maintain  any  por- 
tion of  the  water  works  of  said  city,  and  in  general  to  do  any  act  necessary 
or  convenient  for  accomplishing  the  purpose  of  supplying  said  city  and  the 
aforesaid  inhabitants  of  said  towns  with  water,  and  to  distribute  said  water 
in  said  city  and  towns. 

Sec.  7.  The  city  of  Hartford  and  the  Water  Commissioner  thereof, 
for  the  purpose  of  improving  and  increasing  the  water  supply  of  said  city, 
are  hereby  authorized  and  empowered  to  take  and  hold  the  stream  known  as 
the  south  or  west  branch  of  Salmon  brook,  a  stream  entering  the  Farming- 
ton  river  at  or  near  Tariffville,  Connecticut,  together  with  the  streams  and 
water  sources  connecting  with  said  south  or  west  branch  of  said  Salmon 
brook,  above  a  point  on  said  stream  three  thousand  feet  northeasterly  from 
the  point  where  the  highway  leading  from  Bushy  Hill  Corners  southward 
between  the  Barn  Door  Hills,  so-called,  into  the  town  of  Simsbury  crosses 
said  stream.  And  said  city  and  the  Water  Commissioner  thereof  are  further 
empowered  to  take  and  hold  any  lands  which  may  be  necessary  or  con- 
venient for  constructing  aqueducts  and  reservoirs  for  the  purpose  of  utiliz- 
ing such  water  supply  and  conveying  the  same  to  the  city  of  Hartford,  under 
the  provisions  of  this  charter ;  provided,  however,  that  no  authority  is  hereby 
given  to  take  water  from  the  Farmington  river  or  any  of  the    ponds    and 

23 


streams  tributary  thereto,  which  He  to  the  northward  of  and  flow  through 
the  southern  boundary  of  the  town  of  Canton ;  and  further  provided,  that  no 
authority  is  hereby  given  to  take  water  from  the  stream  from  which  the 
town  of  Granby  now  receives  its  supply  of  water  for  domestic  purposes, 
or  from  any  other  tributaries  of  said  Salmon  brook  which  enter  said  brook 
or  any  of  its  branches  below  the  point  on  said  stream  above  described. 

Sec.  8.  Before  any  highway  is  overflowed  by  reason  of  a  dam  erected 
under  the  authority  given  by  this  resolution,  said  city  and  Water  Commis- 
sioner thereof,  if  they  cannot  agree  with  the  Selectmen  of  any  town  inter- 
ested in  the  layout,  grading  or  alteration  of  such  highway,  as  to  the  change 
in  the  layout,  grading,  or  other  alteration  of  said  highway,  a^id  as  to  the 
payment  of  the  cost  of  the  construction  thereof,  shall  prefer  its  application 
to  the  Superior  Court  of  the  county  in  which  such  highway  is  located,  ac- 
companied by  a  summons  signed  by  proper  authority  to  be  served,  in  the 
same  manner  as  civil  process,  on  one  of  such  Selectmen  to  appear  and  be 
heard  thereon,  and  unless  the  parties  shall  agree  as  to  the  judgment  to  be 
rendered,  said  application  shall  be  heard  and  decided  by  a  committee  of  three 
disinterested  persons  to  be  appointed  by  the  court.  Upon  such  hearing  said 
committee  shall  make  such  alterations  in  such  highway  as  it  may  judge  to 
be  necessary,  survey  and  lay  out  the  same,  and,  having  given  three  days' 
notice  to  the  owner  or  owners  of  all  the  land  affected  by  such  alteration,  per- 
sonally or  by  leaving  a  written  notice  at  their  respective  places  of  abode,  if 
residents  of  this  state,  or  if  non-residents,  by  like  notice  to  the  persons  hav- 
ing charge  of  the  land  of  the  time  and  place  of  their  meeting  for  this  pur- 
pose, shall  under  oath  estimate  the  damages  sustained  by  or  the  special 
benefits  accruing  to  each  person  by  such  change  in  the  layout,  grading,  or 
other  alteration  of  said  highway,  and  report  in  writing  their  doings  to  said 
court.  All  persons  and  parties  interested  in  the  alteration  of  such  highway 
may  appear  before  said  court  and  remonstrate  against  the  acceptance  of  said 
report  for  any  irregularity  or  improper  conduct  on  the  part  of  the  committee, 
and  for  that  cause  the  court  may  set  aside  said  report.  And  if  the  court  shall 
be  of  the  opinion  that  said  report  ought  to  be  accepted  the  court  shall  accept 
it,  and  the  damages  so  assessed  with  the  costs  of  the  application  shall  be  paid 
by  the  town,  and  the  amount  assessed  for  special  benefits  shall  be  paid  to  the 
town  by  the  persons  upon  whom  they  were  assessed,  and  all  assessments  of 
benefits  may  be  collected  in  the  same  manner  as  town  taxes.  Said  com- 
mittee shall  also  estimate  the  cost  of  the  construction  of  said  new  highway 
by  reason  of  the  change  in  the  layout,  grading,  or  other  alteration  of  said 
highway  as  determined  by  said  committee ;  and  when  said  city  and  Water 
Commissioner  thereof  shall  have  paid  to  said  town  the  amount  of  damages 
paid  by  said  town  to  the  persons  found  to  be  specially  damaged  by  the 
change  of  the  layout,  grading,  or  other  alteration  of  said  highway,  less  the 
amount  of  special  benefits  assessed  against  persons  found  by  said  committee 
to  be  specially  benefited  by  said  change  in  the  layout,  grading,  or  other  alter- 
ation of  said  highway,  together  with  the  costs  of  such  application  and  esti- 
mated cost  of  the  construction  of  the  change  in  the  layout,  grading,  or  other 
alteration  of  said  highway,  such  payment  shall  be  in  full  of  any  and  all 
claims  on  the  part  of  any  person,  individual  or  corporation  against  said  city 
and  Water  Commissioner  thereof  on  account  of  damages  to  such  highway  by 
reason  of  the  erection  of  said  dam. 

Sec.  9.  If  said  city  and  its  Water  Commissioner  thereof  shall  intro- 
duce water  into  said  city  under  the  authority  given  under  Section  7  of  this 
resolution,  it  shall  be  lawful  and  shall  be  the  duty  of  said  city  to  supply  said 

24 


water  to  the  inhabitants  of  said  town  of  Granby  upon  the  same  terms  and 
conditions  that  water  is  now  supplied  to  the  inhabitants  of  the  town  of  West 
Hartford. 

Sec.  io.  If  said  city  and  its  Water  Commissioner  thereof  shall  intro- 
duce water  into  said  city  under  the  authority  given  by  this  resolution,  it 
shall  be  lawful,  and  shall  be  the  duty  of  said  city  to  supply  said  water  to  the 
inhabitants  of  any  of  the  towns  through  which  the  line  of  main  pipes  con- 
ducting said  water  to  the  city  of  Hartford  shall  pass,  who  live  within  one- 
half  of  a  mile  of  said  line  of  main  pipes,  upon  the  same  terms  and  conditions 
that  water  is  now  supplied  to  the  inhabitants  of  the  town  of  West  Hartford. 

Sec.  II.  The  city  of  Hartford  is  hereby  authorized  and  empowered  to 
extend  its  water  mains  from  the  Hartford  and  Bloomficld  town  line  through 
the  highway  known  as  Blue  Hills  Avenue  northerly  into  the  town  of  Bloom- 
field,  and  to  the  second  or  main  entrance  to  Mount  St.  Benedict's  cemetery, 
and  thence  to  such  other  points  in  the  town  of  Bloomfield  as  may  be  agreed 
upon  by  said  city  and  Water  Commissioner  thereof  and  the  Selectmen  of 
the  town  of  Bloomfield.  Said  city  and  Water  Commissioner  thereof  shall 
have  control  of  said  water  mains  and  of  the  connections  thereto,  and  shall 
have  the  same  rights  and  be  subject  to  the  same  duties  and  obligations  in  re- 
spect thereto  and  to  the  laying  and  the  repair  thereof,  as  though  the  same 
were  within  the  limits  of  the  city  of  Hartford. 

Sec.  12.  It  shall  be  lawful  and  it  shall  be  the  duty  of  said  city  and  Water 
Commissioner  thereof  to  supply  water  from  such  extended  mains  to  any  of 
the  inhabitants  of  said  town  of  Bloomfield  living  within  one-half  of  a  mile 
of  said  line  of  main  pipes,  so  extended,  upon  the  same  terms  and  conditions 
under  which  water  is  now^  supplied  to  inhabitants  of  the  town  of  West  Hart- 
ford. 

Sec.  13.  Said  city,  by  its  Water  Commissioner,  is  hereby  authorized 
to  enter  in  or  upon  any  land  or  water  for  the  purpose  of  making  surveys,  and 
to  agree  with  the  owner  or  owners  of  any  property  or  franchise  which 
may  be  required  for  the  purposes  of  this  act,  as  to  the  amount  of 
compensation  to  be  paid  to  such  owner  or  owners  for  the  same,  and  in  case  of 
disagreement  between  said  city  and  any  owner  or  owners  as  to  such  compen- 
sation, or  as  to  the  amount  of  damages  which  ought  to  be  awarded  to  any  per- 
son claiming  to  be  injured  in  his  estate  by  the  doings  of  said  city,  or  in  case 
any  such  owmer  shall  be  an  infant,  married  woman  or  insane,  or  absent  from 
this  State,  or  unknown,  or  the  owner  of  a  contingent  or  uncertain  interest,  any 
Judge  of  the  Superior  Court  may,  on  the  application  of  either  party,  cause 
such  notice  to  be  given  of  said  application  as  said  Judge  shall  see  fit  to  pre- 
scribe, and  after  proof  thereof  may  appoint  three  disinterested  persons  to  ex- 
amine the  property  proposed  to  be  taken  for  or  damaged  by  said  city ;  ,and 
they,  being  duly  sworn  to  a  faithful  discharge  of  their  duty,  shall  estimate  the 
amount  of  compensation  which  said  owners  shall  receive,  and  report  the  same 
in  writing  to  said  Judge,  who  may  thereupon  confirm  the  doings  of  said  ap- 
praisers and  direct  whether  said  city  shall  pay  the  same  in  full  compensation 
for  the  property  taken  or  the  injury  done  the  property  by  said  city.  Said 
Judge  shall  prescribe  the  manner  and  time  of  such  payment,  and  upon  com- 
pliance with  such  order,  said  city  may  proceed  with  the  construction  of  said 
work  w^ithout  any  liability  to  any  further  claim  for  compensation  or  dam- 
ages. Said  Judge  shall  lodge  the  application,  and  all  the  papers  in  any  such 
proceeding  after  its  final  disposition,  with  the  clerk  of  the  Superior  Court 
for  Hartford  county,  to  be  by  him  kept  on  file,  and  to  be  recorded  in  a  book 

2i 


provided  for  the  purpose.  All  property  held  for  the  water  purposes  of  the 
city,  wherever  situated,  shall  be  exempt  from  taxation. 

Sec.  14.  Said  city  shall  have  control  of  all  the  mains  and  connections 
lying  and  being  in  said  towns  as  fully  as  if  the  same  were  located  in  said  city 
of  Hartford,  and  is  empowered  to  make  use  of  the  ground  or  soil  under  any 
road,  railroad,  highway,  street,  private  way,  land  or  alley,  the  same  to  be 
restored  to  its  usual  condition  and  damages  done  thereto  to  be  repaired,  and 
all  special  damages  thereby  maintained  by  any  person  or  corporation  to  be 
paid  to  such  person  or  corporation.  The  Commissioner  may  make  by-laws 
and  regulations  for  the  protection,  preservation  or  management  of  said 
water  works,  and  the  same  may  be  enforced  by  suitable  penalties,  to  be  fixed 
by  ordinance. 

Sec.  15.  All  property  now  held  in  the -name  of  the  Board  of  Water 
Commissioners  of  said  city,  and  all  rights  of  action  vested  in,  or  that  have  ac- 
crued to  said  board,  shall  by  this  act  be  vested  in  said  city  of  Hartford,  and 
said  city  shall  have  the  right  in  its  own  name  to  collect  all  moneys  due  for  the 
use  of  water,  including  all  fines  and  penalties  and  additions,  and  to  foreclose 
all  liens  that  have  been  filed  in  the  name  of  said  Water  Board,  and  to  en- 
force all  contracts  made  with  them  or  their  predecessors,  and  it  is  hereby 
made  the  duty  of  the  present  Board  of  Water  Commissioners  to  execute  all 
necessary  papers  to  perfect  the  title  of  said  property  in  said  city. 

Sec.  16.  If  any  person  shall  maliciously  and  wilfully  corrupt  the  water 
of  any  reservoir,  cistern,  hydrant,  conductor,  engine,  pipe,  or  any  portion  of 
the  water  works  of  the  city  of  Hartford,  or  destroy  or  injure  any  work,  ma- 
chinery, materials,  or  property  erected,  constructed,  usecl  or  designed  to  be 
used  within  the  city  of  Hartford  or  elsewhere  for  the  purpose  of  procuring 
and  keeping  a  supply  of  water,  the  city  Police  Court  shall  have  jurisdiction 
of  the  offense,  and  shall  punish  the  oft'ender  by  a  fine  not  exceeding  two  hun- 
dred dollars,  or  by  imprisonment  not  exceeding  six  months,  or  by  such  fine 
and  imprisonment  both,  and  said  offender  shall  also  be  liable  for  treble  the 
actual  damage  in  a  civil  action  brought  therefor  in  the  name  of  the  said  city 
before  the  Court  of  Common  Pleas  for  Hartford  county. 

Sec.  17.  All  lands  under  the  control  of  this  department  and  used  for  its 
purposes,  including  its  park  and  driveways  about  its  reservoirs,  shall  be  for 
all  purposes  included  within  the  water  works  property  of  the  city. 

Sec.  18.  It  shall  be  the  duty  of  the  city  of  Hartford  and  the  Water 
Commissioner  thereof,  to  lay  connecting  pipes  and  furnish  water  to  any  of 
the  residents  of  the  town  of  West  Hartford  or  to  owners  of  land  or  buildings 
in  said  West  Hartford  who  may  apply. to  them  for  the  same,  from  the  pipes 
which  conduct  water  through  said  town  to  the  city  of  Hartford,  whenever 
such  residents  or  owners  will  guarantee  that  ten  per  centum  of  the  cost  of 
the  additional  necessary  connecting  pipes  and  of  the  expenses  of  laying  the 
same  shall  be  annually  paid  to  said  city  as  water  rents  or  otherwise ;  and  any 
of  such  residents  or  owners  shall  be  furnished  with  water  by  said  board 
whenever  such  owners  or  residents  shall  themselves  lay  the  pipes  for  that 
purpose;  and  the  rates  so  paid  for  water  so  furnished  as  above  shall  be  the 
same  as  are  from  time  to  time  established  by  said  commission  and  approved 
by  the  Common  Council  of  said  city  for  the  inhabitants  of  said  city. 

DEPARTMENT  OF  PUBLIC  SAFETY. 

Section  i.  There  shall  be  a  Department  of  Public  Safety,  which  shall 
be  under  the  care  and  control  of  a  Commissioner  to  be  appointed    by    the 

26 


Mayor  and  confirmed  by  the  Board  of  Aldermen.  Such  Commissioner  shall 
hold  office  during  good  behavior  or  until  removed  for  cause  as  hereinbefore 
provided  for  other  appointees  of  the  Mayor.  He  shall  devote  his  entire  time 
to  the  service  of  the  city,  and  shall  have  no  other  occupation  during  his  term 
of  office,  and  he  shall  keep  his  office  open  during  such  hours  of  each  business 
day  as  the  ordinances  of  the  city  shall  direct.  His  compensation  shall  be 
fixed  by  ordinance. 

Sec.  2.  The  Commissioner  of  Public  Safety  shall  have  charge  and 
supervision  over  (a)  the  police  department;  (b)  the  fire  department;  (c) 
the  health  department,  and  shall  have  the  powers  conferred  by  statute  on 
Police  Commissioners,  Fire  Commissioners,  Health"  Officers  and  Health 
Commissioners. 

Sec.  3.  The  Commissioner  shall  appoint  a  secretary,  to  hold  office  dur- 
ing his  pleasure.  \t  shall  be  the  duty  of  the  secretary  to  attend  at  the  of- 
fice of  the  Commissioner  and  keep,  under  his  direction,  first,  all  records  and 
papers  relating  to  the  police  department ;  second,  all  records  and  papers  re- 
lating to  the  fire  department ;  third,  all  records  and  papers  belonging  to  the 
health  department.  The  Commissioner  shall  also  cause  a  record  to  be  kept 
of  all  his  official  acts  and  all  such  records  and  papers  must  at  all  times  be 
open  to  the  inspection  of  the  Mayor,  and  on  the  written  order  of  the  Mayor, 
to  the  inspection  of  any  resident  of  the  city. 

Sec.  4.  The  Commissioner  shall  make  rules  and  regulations  not  in- 
consistent with  the  provisions  of  this  charter,  the  other  laws  of  the  State,  or 
the  ordinances  of  the  city  for  the  government,  direction,  management  and 
discipline  of  the  police  department,  the  fire  department  and  the  health  de- 
partment. He  shall  have  control  of  all  the  property  of  the  city  used  for  and 
by  said  departments  and  shall,  subject  to  the  limitations  contained  in  the 
duties  and  obligations  devolving  on  the  Board  of  Public  Works,  purchase  all 
supplies  used  by  said  department,  and  shall  provide  for  the  heating,  lighting 
and  repairs  of  all  buildings  used  by  said  departments. 

POLICE  DEPARTMENT. 

Section  i.  The  Police  Department  shall  as  to  its  component  parts  re- 
main as  now  constituted  until  the  same  shall  be  changed  by  the  action  of  the 
Common  Council,  which  has  power  at  all  times  by  ordinance  to  determine 
the  number  of  members  of  the  Police  Department  and  the  classes  or  grades 
into  which  they  shall  be  divided. 

Sec.  2.  The  Commissioner  has  authority  to  appoint  as  vacancies  in  the 
police  force  occur  or  as  the  ordinances  of  the  Common  Council  may  require, 
all  the  officers  and  members  of  the  police  force  (except,  however,  that  when 
he  shall  appoint  a  chief  of  police,  such  appointment  shall  be  with  the  written 
approval  of  the  Mayor),  and  at  all  times  to  classify  and  distribute  them  into 
grades  to  conform  to  such  ordinances,  and  under  such  ordinances  he  may 
appoint  and  assign  to  duty,  temporary  or  special  members  of  the  police  force 
for  such  time  of  service  and  upon  such  terms  and  conditions  as  such  ordi- 
nances may  specify,  and  wdth  the  same  powers  as  the  regular  members  of 
the  police  force,  except  as  limited  in  such  ordinances.  All  members  of  the 
regular  police  force  shall  be  appointed  from  the  supernumerary  force;  but 
no  one  shall  be  permanently  appointed  until  he  shall  have  performed  active 
police  service  as  supernumerary  for  at  least  one  year. 

Sec.  3.  The  Commissioner  of  Public  Safety  shall  have  power  for 
caus<',  after  a  hearing  on  charges  preferred  by  himself  or  otherwise,  to  re- 

27 


move,  reduce  in  rank,  or  suspend  without  pay,  any  officer  or  employe  in  the 
police  department  that  he  has  power  to  appoint. 

No  removal,  reduction  in  rank,  or  suspension  shall  be  made  for  political 
reasons. 

Charges  against  any  officer  or  employe  shall  be  preferred  by  serving 
upon  the  person  accused  at  least  forty-eight  hours  before  the  time  fixed  for 
a  hearing,  a  copy  of  the  charges  so  preferred  against  said  officer  or  employe. 

Sec.  4.  In  addition  to  the  supernumerary  and  regular  police  force  of 
the  city  of  Hartford,  there  shall  be  an  honorary  grade,  known  as  the  veteran 
reserve,  to  which  the  Commissioner  of  Public  Safety  may,  at  his  discretion 
and  subject  to  the  written  approval  of  the  Mayor,  transfer  any  member^! 
the  regular  force,  who  shall  through  age  or  physical  disabilities  incurred  in 
the  discharge  of  perilous  duty  ui  in  long  and  faithful  service,  become  per- 
manently disqualified  for  the  more  active  duties  oi  the  regular  grade ;  and 
said  Commissioner  of  Public  Safety  may,  at  his  discretion  and  subject  to  the 
written  approval  of  the  Mayor,  as  a  reward  for  conspicuously  meritorious- 
service,  retire  permanently  from  duty  any  member  of  the  veteran  reserve 
after  twenty  years  of  continuous  service  in  the  department,  upon  the  certifi- 
cate of  the  surgeon  of  the  department  or  of  a  board  of  surgeons,  to  be  desig- 
nated by  said  Commissioner  of  Public  Safety,  showing  that  said  member  is 
permanently  disabled,  physically  or  mentally,  so  as  to  be  unfit  for  any  police 
duty  ;  provided,  that  such  surgeon  or  board  of  surgeons  shall  further  certify 
that  in  his  or  its  opinion  said  disability  is  due  to  injury  received  or  exposure 
endured  in  the  performance  of  duty  in  sai'd  department ;  and  such  member 
so  retired  shall  be  entitled  to  receive  from  the  policemen's  relief  fund  of  the 
department,  during  his  life-time,  unless  said  vote  is  annulled  by  said  Com- 
missioner, with  the  approval  of  the  Mayor,  an  annual  sum,  payable  monthly, 
not  exceeding  one-half,  nor  less  than  one-third,  of  his  previous  compensa- 
tion per  annum. 

Sec.  5.  Said  Commissioner  of  Public  Safety  shall  permanently  retire 
from  duty  any  member  of  the  veteran  reserve  upon  his  written  request ;  pro- 
vided, such  member  has  served  thirty  years  of  continuous  duty  in  the  de 
partment,  and  shall  through  age  or  physical  disabilities  incurred  in  the  dis- 
charge of  perilous  duty,  or  in  long  and  faithful  service,  become  permanently 
disqualified  for  the  more  active  duties  of  the  regular  grade,  and  provided, 
that  the  surgeon  of  the  department,  or  a  board  of  surgeons  to  be  designated 
by  said  Commissioner  of  Public  Safety,  shall  certify  that  in  his  or  its  opinion 
said  disability  is  due  to  injury  received  or  exposure  endured  in  the  perform- 
ance of  duty  in  said  department ;  and  such  member  so  retired  shall  be  enti- 
tled to  receive  from  the  policemen's  relief  fund  of  the  department,  during  his 
life-time,  an  annual  sum,  payable  monthly,  equal  to  one-half  of  his  previous 
compensation  per  annum. 

Sec.  6.  The  Common  Council  shall  by  ordinance  fix  the  pay  or  com- 
pensation of  all  active  members  of  the  department. 

Sec.  7.  The  provisions  of  Chapter  124  of  the  General  Statutes  of  Con- 
necticut relating  to  the  police  benefit  fund  shall  apply  to  the  Police  Depart- 
ment of  the  city  of  Hartford,  and  the  Mayor  of  the  city,  the  Commissioner 
of  Public  Safety  and  the  Controller  shall  be  the  trustees  of  said  fund.  The 
Commissioner  of  Public  Safety  shall  be  president  of  said  board  of  trustees 
and  shall  draw  all  orders  upon  said  fund,  which  shall  be  countersigned  by 
the  secretary  of  said  board  of  trustees,  who  shall  be  designated  by  the  board. 
All  the  duties  devolving  under  said  chapter  of  the  General  Statutes  upon  the 


Police  Commissioners  or  Police  Committee  are  hereby  devolved  upon   the 
Commissioner  of  Public  Safety. 

FIRE  DEPARTMENT. 

Section  i.  The  Fire  Department  shall  as  to  its  component  parts  re- 
main as  now  constituted  until  the  same  shall  be  changed  by  the  action  of  the 
Common  Council,  which  has  power  at  all  times  by  ordinance  to  determme  the 
number  of  members  of  the  Fire  Department  and  the  classes  or  grades  into 
which  they  shall  be  divided. 

Sec.  2.  The  Commissioner  of  Public  Safety  has  authority  to  appoint 
as  vacancies  in  the  Fire  Department  occur,  or  as  the  ordinances  of  the  Com- 
mon Council  may  require,  all  the  officers  and  members  of  the  Fire  Depart- 
ment (except,  however,  that  when  he  shall  appoint  a  chief  of  the  Fire  De- 
partment, such  appointment  shall  be  with  the  written  approval  of  the 
Mayor),  and  at  all  times  to  classify  and  distribute  them  into  grades  to  con- 
form to  such  ordinances. 

Sec.  3.  The  Commissioner  of  Public  Safety  shall  have  power  for 
cause,  after  a  hearing  on  charges  preferred  by  himself  or  otherwise,  to  re- 
move, reduce  in  rank,  or  suspend  without  pay  any  officer  or  employe  in  the 
Fire  Department  that  he  has  power  to  appoint. 

No  removal,  reduction  in  rank  or  suspension  shall  be  made  for  political 
reasons. 

Charges  against  any  officer  or  employe  shall  be  preferred  by  serving 
upon  the  person  accused  at  least  forty-eight  hours  before  the  time  fixed  for 
a  hearing,  a  co])y  of  the  charges  so  preferred  against  said  officer  or  employe. 

FIREMEN'S  RELIEF  FUND. 

Section  i.  There  shall  be  in  the  city  of  Hartford  a  fund  known  as 
and  called  The  Firemen's  Relief  Fund,  which  shall  consist  of  moneys  re- 
ceived from  the  following  sources  :  First :  All  bequests  or  donations  to  the 
department  from  private  or  public  sources  for  the  purposes  for  which  this 
fund  is  constituted.  Second :  ^lonthly  assessments  on  the  salaries  of  mem- 
bers of  the  department,  not  exceeding  two  per  centum  thereof,  as  the  trus- 
tees of  said  relief  fund  shall  from  time  to  time  determine ;  provided,  the  as- 
sessment upon  permanent  men  shall  not  exceed  one-half  the  rate  of  assess- 
ment made  upon  the  call  men.  Third :  Five  per  centum  of  all  fees  collected 
on  account  of  licenses  issued  to  sell  spirituous  or  intoxicating  liquors  within 
the  limits  of  the  town  of  Hartford,  and  such  sums  as  the  Court  of  Common 
Council  may  see  fit  to  appropriate  from  time  to  time. 

Sec.  2.  Said  relief  fund  shall  be  under  the  general  charge  of  the 
Mayor,  the  Commissioner  of  Public  Safety  and  the  Controller,  who  shall 
be  a  board  of  trustees  for  this  purpose,  and  shall  have  discretionary  power 
to  make  and  change  investments.  The  Commissioner  of  Public  Safety,  the 
Chief  of  the  Fire  Department  and  the  Treasurer  of  the  city  of  Hartford, 
by  virtue  of  their  offices,  shall  be,  respectively,  the  president,  the  secretary 
and  the  treasurer  of  said  board  of  trustees.  All  orders  drawn  against  said 
relief  fund  shall  be  signed  by  the  ])resident  and  countersigned  by  the  secre- 
tary of  said  board. 

Sec.  3.  From  this  relief  fund  said  board  of  trustees  by  a  majority  vote 
may  appropriate  and  cause  to  be  paid  such  sums  and  at  such  times  as  they 
may  deem  advisable,  to  the  following  persons  and  for  the  following  pur- 
poses :     First :  Any  member  of  said  department  who  shall  be  permanently 


disabled  for  the  performance  of  ordinary  duty  as  the  result  of  injury  received 
or  exposure  endured  in  the  performance  of  duty,  upon  such  medical  exam- 
ination, as  sai'd  board  of  trustees  may  prescribe.  Second :  Any  member  who, 
after  twenty  years  of  meritorious  service,  shall  have  been  retired  from  ordi- 
nary duty  or  detailed  for  some  special  duty,  or,  if  a  call  man  of  said  depart- 
ment, shall  be  entitled  when  retired  to  a  yearly  amount  not  to  exceed  the 
yearly  amount  he  received  in  service  before  retirement,  and  if  a  permanent 
tireman,  he  shall  be  entitled  to  a  yearly  amount  not  exceeding  one-half  the 
regular  yearly  compensation  received  in  service  before  retirement. 

Sec.  4.  The  secretary  of  the  board  of  trustees  shall  record  all  proceed- 
ings and  votes  taken  by  said  trustees  in  reference  to  said  fund  and  said  pay- 
ments, stating  the  name  and  vote  of  each  member  of  said  board  of  trustees 
on  any  matter  relating  thereto.  An  itemized  report  of  the  condition  of  said 
relief  fund  and  of  all  receipts  and  disbursements  in  connection  therewith 
shall  be  submitted  by  said  board  of  trustees  to  the  Court  of  Common  Coun- 
cil in  the  month  of  March  in  each  year. 

Sec.  5.  Any  person  who  shall  neglect  or  refuse  to  pay  whatever  as- 
sessments may  be  laid  shall  not  be  entitled  to  any  benefits  from  this  fund. 

Sec.  6.  The  board  of  trustees  shall  have  power  to  make  all  rules  and 
regulations  necessary  to  carry  the  foregoing  into  effect. 

HEALTH  DEPARTMENT. 

The  Commissioner  of  Public  Safety  shall  appoint,  with  the  written  ap- 
proval of  the  Mayor,  a  Health  Officer  for  the  city  of  Hartford,  who  shall 
have  and  exercise  under  the  direction  of  the  Commissioner  of  Public  Safety, 
throughout  the  city  of  Hartford  and  over  the  Connecticut  river  adjacent 
thereto,  all  the  jurisdiction,  powers,  privileges  and  duties  now  by  law 
vested  in  and  imposed  upon  town  health  officers  in  this  State  in  their  re- 
spective towns  and  all  the  powers  now  vested  in  the  Board  of  Health  of  said 
city.  Said  Health  Officer  may  from  time  to  time  make  such  by-laws,  rules, 
regulations  and  orders  as  in  his  judgment  the  preservation  of  the  public 
health  shall  require,  provided  the  same  be  not  inconsistent  with  the  constitu- 
tion or  laws  of  this  State  or  the  United  States  or  with  the  charter  or  ordi- 
nances of  said  city,  and  shall  cause  to  be  executed  and  enforced  the  health 
ordinances  of  said  city  and  generally  shall  do  and  cause  to  be  done  whatever 
now  is  or  may  hereafter  be  prescribed  by  the  ordinances  of  «aid  city  or  by 
the  Court  of  Common  Council  to  preserve  the  health  of  said  city,  and  said 
Health  Officer  shall  have,  under  the  direction  of  the  Commissioner  of  Public 
Safety  and  subject  to  the  ordinances  of  said  city,  and  the  orders  of  the  Court 
of  Common  Council,  jurisdiction  over  the  matter  of  the  removal  and  disposi- 
tion of  garbage,  the  establishment  and  management  of  garbage  plants  and 
the  establishment  and  management  of  any  agencies  for  the  production  of 
remedies  tending  to  the  preservation  of  the  public  health  of  said  city. 

CHARITY  DEPARTMENT. 

Section  i.  There  shall  be  a  Department  of  Charity,  which  shall  be 
under  the  care  and  control  of  a  Commissioner  to  be  appointed  by  the  Mayor, 
by  and  with  the  advice  and  consent  of  the  Board  of  Aldermen.  Said  Com- 
missioner shall  hold  office  during  good  behavior  or  until  removed  for  cause 
as  hereinbefore  provided  for  other  appointees  of  the  ]\Iayor.  He  shall  have 
all  the  powers  and  duties  heretofore  vested  in  the  Board  of  Selectmen  of  the 

30 


town  of  Hartford  and  now  vested  in  the  Board  of  Charity  Commissioners  of 
the  city  of  Hartford,  or  which  shall  hereafter  be  vested  by  law  in  the  Se- 
lectmen of  the  several  towns  of  this  State,  in  relation  to  soldiers'  orphans, 
the  support  of  paupers,  licenses  for  the  sale  of  spirituous  and  intoxicating 
liquors,  the  care  of  the  insane  and  indigent,  the  adoption  of  children,  the 
commitment  of  imbecile  children  to  proper  institutions,  the  indenture  of  ap- 
prentices, the  appointment  of  overseers  and  conservators,  and  duties  relative 
to  the  deaf,  dumb  and  blind,  and  concerning  all  other  matters  aiTecting  the 
defective  and  dependent  classes.  He  shall  devote  his  entire  time  to  the  ser- 
vice of  the  city,  and  shall  have  no  other  occupation  during  his  term  of  office, 
and  he  shall  keep  his  office  open  during  such  hours  of  each  business  day  as 
the  ordinances  of  the  city  shall  direct. 

Sec.  2.  Said^ Commissioner  shall  appoint  a  clerk,  and  a  superintendent 
of  charities,  and  such  assistants  or  other  employes  as  may  be  authorized  by 
the  Common  Council,  whose  compensation  shall  be  limited  by  city  ordinance 
or  by  vote  of  the  Common  Council.  Notices  to  the  Commissioner  of  Chari- 
ties, in  the  manner  provided  by  law,  concerning  any  pauper  claimed  to  be 
chargeable  to  said  city,  shall  be  valid  and  sufficient  notice  to  bind  said  city 
as  towns  are  bound  by  a  notice  to  a  Selectman  thereof,  and  notice  to  the  Se- 
lectmen of  the  town  of  Hartford  shall  also  be  sufficient  notice  to  said  city, 
and  it  shall  be  the  duty  of  said  Selectmen  to  forthwith  transmit  to  the  said 
Commissioner  of  Charities  all  such  notices  received  by  them,  and  the  said 
Commissioner  shall  act  in  connection  with  the  Justices  of  the  Peace  upon 
all  questions  concerning  which  Selectmen  of  towns  with  such  Justices  now 
have  authority. 

Sec.  3.  All  powers  relating  to  the  establishment  of  workhouses  which 
would  at  any  time  except  for  this  resolution  belong  to  said  town  shall  con- 
tinue to  be  conferred  upon  said  city.  All  workhouses  of  said  city,  and  their 
inmates,  shall  be  maintained  and  controlled  by  said  Commissioner  of  Char- 
ities, and  said  city  shall  have  the  use  and  benefit  of  the  labor  of  all  inmates 
of  its  workhouses.  All  g-eneral  laws  concerning  town  workhouses,  so  far 
as  they  are  consistent  with  this  resolution,  shall  apply  to  said  city. 

COURT  OF  COMMON  COUNCIL. 

There  shall  be  a  Court  of  Common  Council  in  said  city,  consisting  of  a 
Board  of  Aldermen,  which  shall  include  all  of  the  Aldermen,  and  a  Board  of 
Councilmen,  which  shall  include  all  of  the  Councilmen,  which  boards  shall 
meet  separately,  except  in  the  cases  hereinafter  specified,  and  in  whom  shall 
be  vested  the  govenment,  control  and  management  of  said  city,  its  property 
and  its  affairs,  subject  to  the  exceptions  hereinafter  set  forth.  Each  branch 
of  said  court  shall  he  final  judge  of  the  election  returns,  and  validity  of  elec- 
tions and  qualifications  of  its  own  members. 

At  the  beginning  of  each  municipal  year,  each  of  said  boards  of  the 
Court  of  Common  Council  shall  elect,  from  among  its  own  members,  a  presi- 
dent, who  shall  preside  at  the  meetings  of  said  boards  respectively,  and  a 
president  pro  tempore,  who  shall  act  in  the  absence  of  the  president. 

Regular  meetings  of  said  boards  shall  be  held  at  such  times  as  may  be 
fixed  by  the  city  ordinances  ;  and  said  boards  may  be  speciall\-  convened  at 
any  time  by  the  Mayor,  and,  upon  a  petition  of  four  Aldermen  and  eight 
Councilmen,  in  writing,  filed  with  the  Mayor,  a  meeting  of  such  boards  shall 
be  called.  Each  board  may  determine  the  rules  of  its  proceedings,  in  con- 
formity with  the  general  principles  of  parliamentary  law,  punish  its  mem- 

31 


bers  for  disorderly  behavior,  and,  by  vote  of  three-fourths  of  its  members, 
expel  a  member  for  due  cause.  A  majority  of  all  of  the  members  of  each  of 
said  boards  shall  constitute  a  quorum  for  the  transaction  of  business,  and  the 
vote  upon  any  question  shall  be  taken  by  yeas  and  nays  at  the  request  of  one- 
fifth  of  the  members  present. 

Whenever  any  meeting  of  either  of  said  boards  shall  have  been  regularly 
called  and  no  quorum  shall  be  present,  those  members  present  may,  by  vote, 
request  the  Mayor  of  said  city,  or  the  presiding  officer  of  said  board  to  is- 
sue, and  upon  said  request,  the  said  Mayor  or  presiding  officer  shall  issue  a 
warrant  signed  by  him,  directed  to  the  City  Sheriff  of  said  city,  or  to  the 
Sheriff  of  Hartford  county,  or  some  one  of  his  deputies,  to  arrest  and  bring 
into  such  meeting  such  members  of  said  board  as  will,  together  with  those 
present,  constitute  a  quorum  ;  and,  at  any  meeting  of  said  board,  those  mem- 
bers present  shall  have  the  power  to  make  any  orders  to  compel  the  attend- 
ance of  other  members,  and  any  one  of  the  officers  above  mentioned  shall 
obey  such  orders,  upon  request,  and  summon  such  assistance  as  may  be  nec- 
essary to  carry  such  orders  into  effect. 

No  by-law  or  ordinance  shall  be  put  upon  its  passage  until  it  shall  have 
been  printed  for  examination,  and  no  by-law  or  ordinance  shall  be  put  upon 
its  passage  until  it  shall  have  been  referred  to  a  suitable  committee  and  re- 
ported by  said  committee  after  opportunity  for  a  public  hearing  has  been 
given. 

No  vote  or  resolution  of  said  Court  of  Common  Council  ordering  a  pub- 
lic work  or  improvement  which  shall  require  an  expenditure  of  more  than 
$10,000  shall  be  obligatory  on  said  city,  unless  approved  by  a  majority  vote 
of  a  city  meeting,  duly  warned  and  holden  for  that  purpose,  which  vote  shall 
be  by  ballot,  or  by  voting  machine  authorized  by  law  to  be  used  for  voting  at 
city  meetings. 

All  elections  to  any  office  or  position  within  the  gift  of  said  court  or 
either  of  said  boards  shall  be  made  by  viva  voce  vote,  except  as  herein  other- 
wise provided. 

The  presiding  officers  of  the  Board  of  Aldermen,  Board  of  Councilmen 
and  of  the  several  committees  of  said  boards,  shall  respectively  have  power 
to  compel  the  attendance  and  testimony  of  witnesses  before  their  respective 
boards  and  committees  over  which  they  preside,  by  the  issue  of  subpoenas 
for  that  purpose,  and  shall  have  power  to  administer  oaths  in  the  manner  and 
according  to  the  rules  governing  the  same  in  courts  of  justice ;  and  when  it 
shall  be  necessary  to  secure  the  attendance  or  testimony  of  witnesses  before 
said  boards  or  committees,  such  presiding  officers  shall  have  the  right  to 
apply  to  the  Court  of  Common  Pleas,  or  to  the  Superior  Court  for  Hartford 
county,  for  an  order  compelling  any  witness  so  summoned  before  them  to  tes- 
tify, which  courts  shall  have  the  power  to  issue  subpoenas  and  to  enforce  the 
presence  and  testimony  of  all  witnesses  summoned,  in  the  same  way  and  to 
the  same  extent  as  they  now  have  power  to  enforce  and  compel  the  presence 
and  testimony  of  witnesses  in  each  of  said  courts. 

The  Court  of  Common  Council  of  the  city  of  Hartford  shall  have  exclu- 
sive power  to  lay  out,  make  and  establish,  within  said  city,  new  highways, 
streets,  public  parks  and  walks,  whenever  they  deem  it  for  the  public  good 
to  do  so,  or  to  alter  the  lines  and  location  of  those  already  laid  out,  and  dis- 
continue the  same  and  exchange  highways  for  highways,  or  sell  highways 
for  the  purpose  of  purchasing  other  highways,  to  establish  street,  building, 
veranda  and  step  lines  on  the  land  of  proprietors  adjoining  any  street,  high- 
way, alley,  park  or  walk,  within  said  city,  between  which  and  such  street, 

33 


highway,  alley,  park  or  walk,  no  building  or  part  of  a  building,  or  appur- 
tenance thereof,  shall  be  set  up  or  erected.  Also,  to  order  and  establish 
openings  between  buildings  for  the  purpose  of  free  circulation  of  air  for  the 
benefit  of  the  public  health ;  to  cause  low  grounds  where  water  at  any  time 
becomes  stagnant,  to  be  raised,  filled  up,  or  drained.  Also  to  lay  out,  con- 
struct and  alter  public  sewers  through  the  highways,  streets  (including  turn- 
pike roads),  alleys  and  public  grounds  within  said  city,  and  also  through  the 
private  enclosures  within  the  same ;  to  order  and  construct  and  alter  side- 
walks, curbs,  gutters  and  crosswalks,  in  and  upon  all  highways,  streets  (in- 
cluding turnpike  roads),  alleys  and  public  grounds  within  said  city,  accord- 
ing to  the  grade  and  plan  and  of  such  materials  as  shall  be  designated  by  said 
court.  Also  to  establish  and  designate  districts  of  said  city,  within  which  it 
shall  not  be  lawful  to  erect,  enlarge  or  elevate,  or  into  or  within  which  it  shall 
not  be  lawful  to  remove  any  wooden  building,  except  by  license  of  said  court. 
Also,  to  cause  to  be  made,  and  repaired,  and  altered,  highways,  streets, 
parks  and  public  grounds  within  said  city,  and  sidewalks,  and  crosswalks 
upon  said  highways,  streets  or  public  grounds ;  to  assume  for  said  city  the 
duty  of  making  and  repairing  any  part  of  any  turnpike  company's  road  with- 
in said  city.  Also  to  lay  taxes  on  the  polls  and  ratable  estate  within  said  city, 
sufficient  to  defray  all  lawful  expenses  incurred  by  said  city,  according  to  the 
corporate  powers  hereby  granted  or  recognized.  But  no  street,  highway  or 
alley  in  the  city  of  Hartford  shall  hereafter  be  opened  to  the  public  by  dedi- 
cation or  otherwise  by  any  person  or  private  corporation  unless  such  street, 
highway  or  alley  be  at  least  40  feet  in  width  and  so  laid  as  to  connect  to  ex- 
isting highways. 

The  Court  of  Common  Council  shall  have  power,  by  a  majority  of  the 
members  present  and  absent,  subject  to  the  approval  or  disapproval  of  the 
Mayor  as  aforesaid,  to  make,  alter  and  repeal  ordinances  for  the  following 
purposes : 

To  provide  for  the  choice  of  such  officers  of  the  Court  of  Common 
Council  as  by  the  charter  of  the  city  are  to  be  chosen  by  that  body :  to  pre- 
scribe their  duties  and  the  method  and  manner  of  choosing  them,  subject  to 
the  provisions  of  this  act.  To  provide  for  additional  voting  districts  in  any  of 
the  wards  in  said  city  in  which  there  are  more  than  2,500  electors,  bv  divid- 
ing each  of  such  wards  into  two  or  more  such  districts,  provided,  that  no  dis- 
trict so  established  shall  contain  less  than  one  thousand  electors. 

To  provide  for  the  method  and  manner  of  warning  city  and  town  meet- 
ings, and  meetings  of  the  Court  of  Common  Council,  and  the  times  and 
places  of  holding  the  same. 

To  regulate  the  conduct  of  elections,  and  provide  for,  the  canvass  of  votes 
cast  and  the  declaration  of  the  result,  subject  to  the  provisions  of  the  statute 
laws  of  the  State  relating  to  elections  pursuant  to  which  all  city  elections 
shall  be  held. 

To  provide  forms  of  oaths  for  officers  or  agents  of  said  city. 

To  prescribe  the  salaries  and  compensation  of  all  officers  and  employes 
of  said  city,  and  their  duties,  except  as  herein  otherwise  provided. 

To  provide  for  the  removal  or  expulsion  of  any  city  officer  on  account 
of  corruption,  incompetence,  inability,  refusal  to  obey  anv  lawful  order,  or 
misfeasance  or  malfeasance  in  any  office. 

To  provide  for  the  filling  of  vacancies  which  may  occur  in  any  office 
appertaining  to  said  city,  or  may  be  existing  in  consequence  of  a  tie 
at  any  city  election,  for  the  unexpired  term  of  such  office ;  to  pro- 
vide for  bonds  and  sureties  of  any  officer  elected  by  said  Court  of  Common 

2>Z 


Council,  and  penalties  for  the  refusal  of  any  such  officer  to  serve ;  to  pre- 
scribe the  duties  of  a  Sealer  of  Weights  and  Measures ;  to  provide  for  the 
election  and  prescribe  the  duties  of  Port  Wardens,  Public  Weighers  and  In- 
spectors of  any  kind  of  produce  brought  to  said  city  for  sale  or  exhibition, 
and  such  other  functionaries,  including  the  duties  heretofore  performed  by 
Selectmen  and  not  by  this  resolution  or  the  Constitution  of  the  State  other- 
wise provided  for  as  may  be  deemed  by  the  Court  of  Common  Council  nec- 
essary, convenient  or  proper  for  the  administration  of  the  affairs  of  said 
city,  and  the  proper  regulation  of  the  finances,  health,  police,  trade  and 
commerce  thereof. 

To  regulate  the  mode  of  taxation  for  city  purposes  and  to  appoint  a 
rate  maker. 

To  provide  for  the  publication  of  such  matters  and  things,  including  or- 
dinances as  are  required  by  law  to  be  published,  and  prescribe  the  method 
and  manner  and  the  duration  of  such  publication. 

Te  regulate  trade,  markets  and  commerce,  and  regulate  weights  and 
measures  in  conforrnity  with  the  lawful  standard  thereof  within  the  limits 
of  said  city. 

To  manage,  regulate  and  control  the  finances  and  property,  real  and  per- 
sonal, of  the  city,  and  regulate  the  borrowing  of  money  by'  the  city  for  any 
purposes  for  which  said  Court  of  Common  Council  is  authorized  to  lay  taxes 
under  the  restrictions  of  law ;  to  provide  for  the  due  authentication,  execu- 
tion and  delivery  of  deeds,  grants,  releases  of  city  property,  and  evidences 
of  debt  issued  by  said  city. 

To  provide  for  the  issuing  of  bonds  of  said  city  from  time  to  time,  to 
take  up  and  pay  bonds  of  said  city  already  outstanding,  and  liquidate  and 
discharge  all  debts,  payments  and  obligations  that  may  be  incurred  from  time 
to  time  for  any  and  all  public  works  and  improvements  of  every  character, 
name  and  nature,  and  to  pay  for  any  and  all  property  to  which  the  city  may 
acquire  title. 

To  provide  for  the  appropriation,  at  its  discretion,  from  time  to  time, 
of  sums  of  money  for  the  purpose  of  defraying  the  expenses  of  public  cele- 
brations and  receptions  within  said  city  ;  said  sums  of  money  so  appropriated 
not  to  exceed  the  amount  of  $500.00  for  any  one  public  celebration  or  re- 
ception. 

To  prescribe  the  time  and  places  of  holding  the  courts  of  said  city. 

To  provide  for  the  laying  out,  altering,  establishing  and  making  high- 
ways and  streets,  public  grounds  and  walks,  openings  for  the  circulation  of 
air,  street,  building,  veranda  atid  step  lines,  drains  and  sewers ;  to  regulate  the 
width  of  streets,  highways  and  alleys  and  public  places  within  said  city  ;  to 
drain  and  raise  low  lands ;  to  make,  repair,  purify,  light  and  keep  open  and 
safe  for  public  use  and  travel,  and  free  from  encroachment  and  obstruction, 
the  streets,  highways,  passways,  and  public  grounds  and  places  in  said  city, 
which  is  hereby  constituted  a  highway  district  by  itself ;  to  appraise  damages 
and  assess  betterments  for  public  works  and  improvements  upon  any  and  all 
real  estate  in  said  city  in  the  judgment  of  the  Bureau  of  Assessments  spec- 
ially damaged  or  benefited  thereby;  to  offset  benefits  against  damages  in 
such  cases,  and  generally  to  prescribe  the  method  and  manner  of  making  all 
such  appraisals  and  assessments  subject  to  such  right  of  appeal  as  is  pro- 
vided by  law. 

To  provide  that  assessments  of  benefits  for  any  public  work  shall  be  a 
lien  upon  the  land  or  real  estate  on  account  of  which  such  assessments  are 
made ;  which  lien  may  be  foreclosed  at  the  suit  of  the  city  in  the  same  man- 

34 


ner  as  a  mortgage  incumbrance.  Also  to  extend,  not  beyond  a  period  of  five 
years,  the  time  for  collection  of  such  liens  and  for  the  rate  of  interest  such 
liens  shall  bear. 

To  regulate  the  planting,  protection  and  removal  of  trees  and  the  set- 
ting and  protection  of  other  ornaments  in  public  places,  streets  and  pleasure 
grounds ;  to  regulate  the  excavation  or  opening  of  streets,  highways,  and  pub- 
lic grounds  for  public  or  private  purposes,  and  the  location  of  any  work  or 
thing  therein,  whether  temporary  or  permanent,  upon  or  under  the  surface 
thereof,  and  the  removal  of  buildings  upon  or  through  the  same ;  to  keep  the 
same  quiet  and  orderly  and  free  from  undue  noise  upon  the  Lord's  day ;  and  to 
protect  the  City  Hall  square  in  said  city,  and  any  and  all  things  appertain- 
ing thereto. 

To  prohibit  or  regulate  the  building  of  fires  in  the  streets  or  highways 
of  said  city  and  fix  a  penalty  for  the  violation  of  such  ordinances. 

To  provide  for  watering  the  streets  of  said  city,  and  prescribe  the  mode 
in  which  the  expense  of  the  same  shall  be  assessed  upon  the  persons  or  the 
land  specially  benefited  thereby,  and  also  the  mode  in  which  the  said  ex- 
pense shall  be  collected  or  secured  by  lien  upon  the  land  specially  benefited. 

To  provide  whenever  it  shall  be  necessary  for  the  proper  construction 
of  any  public  work  or  improvement,  for  causing  any  stream  or  water-course 
not  navigable,  to  be  changed  and  diverted  from  its  natural  or  present  chan- 
nel into  a  new  or^if erent  channel,  and  for  the  taking,  occupying  and  appro- 
priating in  the  interest  of  public  health  or  the  proper  sewerage  of  the 
city,  any  stream  or  part  thereof,  natural  or  artificial,  running  in  or  through 
said  city,  and  to  straighten,  deepen  or  lower  the  same,  or  lower,  alter,  or  re- 
move any  or  all  walls,  dams,  flumes  or  other  obstructions  to  the  free  and 
healthy  flow  of  such  stream  or  part  thereof,  or  raise  any  such  dams,  or  build 
and  maintain  other  dams  where  public  health  or  convenience  may  require, 
or  to  cover  any  such  stream  or  part  thereof  by  arches,  culverts  or  other 
structures,  to  divert  the  water  from  such  stream  or  part  thereof  and  cause 
it  to  flow  through  a  sewer  or  other  aqueduct  built  in  and  upon  the  bed  of 
such  stream,  or  laid  in  the  earth  in  or  near  either  bank  thereof;  or  to  re- 
move or  cause  to  be  removed  or  altered  any  or  all  structures  which  at  any 
season  of  the  year  cause  the  accumulation  of  stagnant  water,  or  interrupt 
in  any  manner  the  free  and  healthy  flow  of  any  part  of  such  stream,  but  the 
proceedings  for  any  such  diverting,  taking,  occupation  or  appropriation 
shall  be  in  accordance  with  the  provisions  of  law  relating  to  this  subject 
otherwise  set  forth  in  this  act. 

To  provide  for  pfacing  underground  electrical  wires  and  conduits  of 
every  character  whatsoever ;  to  provide  that  the  whole  or  any  part  of  the  ex- 
pense of  building  conduits  shall  be  borne  by  the  parties  in  interest,  or  by  the 
city ;  to  establish  and  regulate,  in  case  the  city  shall  own  such  underground 
conduits,  suitable  rentals  and'  regulations  for  the  same,  and  to  govern  the 
issuing  of  permits  for  occupying  the  same. 

The  Court  of  Common  Council  may,  whenever  in  their  opinion  the 
proper  sewerage  or  drainage  of  any  portion  of  said  city  shall  require  such 
action,  construct  any  structure,  mechanical  appliance  or  apparatus  to  arti- 
ficially or  mechanically  sewer  or  drain  the  same^  and  may  maintain  and 
operate  such  means  of  drainage,  and  for  said  purposes  said  Court  of  Com- 
mon Council  may  take  any  land  which  may  be  needed  therefor. 

The  proceedings  under  any  resolution  to  construct  such  means  of  sewer- 
age or  drainage  shall  be  the  same  as  those  provided  by  the  charter  and  or- 
dinances of  said  city  for  the  layout  and  construction  of  sewers  by  said  city, 

35  • 


and  the  cost  of  constructing  the  same,  including  the  damages  by  reason  of 
any  property  taken  therefor,  may  be  assessed  upon  the  persons  or  property 
specially  benefited  thereby,  in  the  same  manner  as  is  provided  by  said  char- 
ter and  ordinances  for  the  assessments  of  benefits  for  other  public  improve- 
ments. 

The  cost  of  maintaining  such  means  of  sewerage  or  drainage  shall  be 
the  same  as  those  provided  by  the  charter  and  ordinances  of  said  city  for  the 
layout  and  construction  of  sewers  by  said  city,  and  the  cost  of  constructing 
the  same,  including  the  damages  by  reason  of  any  property  taken  therefor, 
may  be  assessed  upon  the  persons  or  property  specially  benefited  thereby,  in 
the  same  manner  as  is  provided  by  said  charter  and  ordinances  for  the  as- 
sessments of  benefits  for  other  public  improvements. 

The  cost  of  maintaining  such  means  of  sewerage  or  drainage  may  at 
any  time  after  the  same  is  incurred,  and  whenever  said  Court  of  Common 
Council  shall  judge  proper,  be  assessed  upon  the  persons  or  property  specially 
benefited  thereby  upon  a  resolution  directing  such  assessment,  which  shall 
be  referred  to  the  Bureau  of  Assessments  of  said  city  for  said  assessment, 
which  shall  be  made  in  the  same  manner  as  is  provided  by  the  charter  and 
ordinances  of  said  city  for  the  assessment  of  benefits  by  reason  of  public  im- 
provements. 

Any  assessment  for  the  cost  of  constructing  or  maintaining  such  means 
of  sewerage  or  drainage  shall  be  collectible*  and  shall  be  a  lien  upon  the  land 
on  account  of  which  it  was  assessed,  and  may  be  continued  and  enforced  as 
such  lien,  in  the  same  manner  as  assessments  for  benefits  by  reason  of  other 
public  works. 

Said  Court  of  Common  Council  shall  h^ve  power  in  the  manner  afore- 
said : 

To  provide  annually  for  improving  the  navigation  of  the  Connecticut 
river  by  the  appropriation  of  a  sum  not  exceeding  five  thousand  dollars  in 
each  year  therefor. 

To  provide  for  the  support  of  a  free  public  library ;  and  the  city  of  Hart- 
ford is  authorized  and  empowered  to  appropriate  by  vote  of  the  Court  of 
Common  Council  of  said  city,  and  to  pay  over  to  the  Wadsworth  Athenaeum 
annually  a  sum  not  exceeding  one-half  of  one  mill  upon  the  grand  list  of  said 
city  last  made  and  perfected,  for  the  purpose  of  supporting  and  maintaining 
a  free  public  library  and  art  gallery,  with  their  appurtenances,  and  of  furnish- 
ing needed  accommodations  therefor. 

To  regulate  building,  rebuilding  and  the  mode  of  building,  and  the  ma- 
terial used  for  building  or  altering  buildings  within  said  city  or  any  part 
thereof,  and.  the  mode  of  using  any  buildings  therein  whenever  such  regula- 
tion shall  seem  expedient  for  the  purpose  of  preserving  said  city  from  the 
dangers  of  fire,  and  for  conserving  the  safety,  health  and  well-being  of  the 
inhabitants  thereof. 

To  prevent  the  erection  of  unsafe  buildings  and  the  unsafe  alteration  or 
extension  of  any  buildmg  within  the  limits  of  said  city ;  to  provide  for  the 
examination  of  all  plans  and  specifications  of  proposed  buildings  and  of  pro- 
posed alterations  and  extensions  of  existing  buildings ;  to  provide  for  the 
inspection  of  all  buildings  in  process  of  erection,  and  of  all  buildings  under- 
going alterations  or  extensions :  to  make  general  rules  and  provide  for  par- 
ticular directions  regarding  the  materials  to  be  used  in  building,  and  the 
strength  and  manner  of  using  the  same ;  to  prohibit  the  erection  and  the  al- 
teration and  extension  of  any  building  not  in  conformity  with  such  rules  and 
directions,  or  the  plans  and  specifications  of  which  have  not  been  examined 

36 


or  approved,  in  accordance  with  such  ordinances ;  and  to  compel  such 
changes  in  the  location  of  and  in  the  plans  and  specifications  for  proposed 
buildings  and  for  proposed  alterations  and  extensions  of  buildings,  and  in 
the  manner  of  construction  and  in  the  matter  of  materials  used  therefor,  as 
may  be  necessary  to  secure  safety  from  the  dangers  of  fire,  collapse,  explo- 
sion or  disease ;  to  provide  for  the  safe  and  sanitary  construction  of  build- 
ings, for  the  prevention  of  the  construction  of  dark  or  otherwise  unwhole- 
some living  and  sleeping  rooms  and  for  the  reasonable  limitation  of  the  pro- 
portion of  a  building  lot  which  may  be  covered  by  a  tenement  building. 

To  prescribe  the  powers  and  duties  of  the  Building  Inspector  and 
Deputy  Building  Inspector,  and  provide  for  the  punishment  of  any  viola- 
tion of  such  ordinance  by  fine  or  imprisonment,  or  both. 

To  provide  such  ordinances  as  it  may  deem  expedient  respecting  the 
removal  and  treatment  of  garbage  within  said  city. 

To  provide  for  prohibiting  and  regulating  the  keeping,  storing,  selling 
or  using  of  fireworks,  torpedoes,  fire-crackers,  gunpowder,  petroleum,  nitro- 
glycerine, or  any  other  explosive  or  inflammable  substance  or  substances  or 
materials  in  said  city,  or  the  conveyance  of  the  same  into,  through  or  out 
of  said  city;  for  regulating  the  use  of  firearms  and  building  of  bonfires 
within  said  city;  for  preventing  injuries  to  the  fire  alarm  or  telegraph  or 
police  telegraph  or  police  telephone  apparatus  or  property,  and  the  unlaw- 
ful making,  using  or  possession  of  keys  to  the  alarm  boxes  of  said  telegraph 
or  telephone. 

To  regulate  fireworks,  shows,  parades, and  rendezvous,  processions  and 
music,  the  exhibition  and  speed  of  animals,  the  speed  of  vehicles  and  cars, 
the  running  at  large  of  animals  through  or  in  any  part  of  said  city,  and  the 
impounding  of  the  same ;  to  license  and  regulate  public  hacks,  carriages, 
automobiles,  express  wagons,  drays,  trucks,  and  the  charges  of  hackmen, 
expressmen,  chaufifeurs,  public  drivers,  cartmen  and  truckmen. 

To  regulate  the  burial  of  the  dead  and  provide  for  the  registration  and 
return  of  the  deaths  and  burials  in  said  city;  and  provide  and  establish  a 
registry  of  births  and  marriages  within  the  city  limits. 

To  prevent  and  secure  the  removal  of  all  nuisances  injurious  to  health 
or  offensive  to  the  public,  at  the  expense  of  the  owner  of  the  premises 
where  such  nuisance  exists,  or  otherwise ;  to  regulate  and  prohibit  the  ring- 
ing of  bells  and  crying  of  goods  in  said  city ;  to  restrain  cruelty  to  animals 
and  inhuman  sports'. 

To  provide  rules  and  regulations  covering  all  practices  with  dead 
bodies  in  medical  institutes  or  elsewhere  in  said  city,  and,  generally,  to  regu- 
late the  conduct  of  citizens  in  relation  to  persons  and  premises  with  regard 
to  matters  of  sanitation  and  decency. 

To  regulate  the  location  of  stationary  steam  boilers,  barns  and  out- 
houses, sinks  and  drains  in  said  city,  and  to  confer  all  necessary  and  con- 
venient powers  upon  the  Commissioner  of  Public  Safety  or  other  sanitary 
officer  or  otBcers,  and  to  regulate  the  exercise  of  such  powers  within  said 
city. 

To  prevent  vice  and  immorality ;  to  preserve  public  peace  and  good  or- 
der;  to  prevent  and  quell  riots  and  disorderly  assemblages,  suppress  gam- 
bling houses  and  houses  of  ill-fame  and  disorderly  houses,  and  to  confer 
upon  the  Mayor  and  police  officers  of  the  city  all  powers  necessary  for  such 
purposes;  to  prohibit,  restrain,  license  and  regulate  all  sports,  exhibitions, 
public  amusements  and  performances,  and  billiard  and  bowling  saloons 
within  said  city. 

37 


To  prohibit  all  gambling  of  every  description,  betting  on  horse  races  ; 
selling  of  pools,  and  any  and  all  contracts,  written  or  oral,  or  both,  to  be  de- 
termined by  the  speed  of  horses  or  other  animals,  and  of  any  game,  hazard 
or  risk  wherein  the  speed  of  animals  or  the  results  of  races  or  contests  of  any 
character  are  factors. 

To  regulate  or  prohibit  swimming  or  bathing  in  public  or  exposed  places 
within  said  city,  and  .within  any  territory  over  which  said  municipality  is  by 
law  granted  jurisdiction  or  control ;  to  prevent  and  punish  trespasses  in  gar- 
dens, cemeteries,  enclosures,  parks  and  public  buildings  and  places. 

To  confer  upon  the  city  policemen  the  powers  of  constables  of  towns, 
and  such  other  prerogatives  as  the  Court  of  Common  Council  may  deem 
necessary  or  convenient  for  the  public  protection  within  the  limits  of  said 
city ;  and  to  punish  the  resistance  or  obstruction  of  police  officers  in  the  dis- 
charge of  their  duties. 

To  provide  for  suppressing  immoral,  vicious  and  pernicious  publica- 
tions and  advertisements ;  to  regulate  the  distribution  of  hand-bills  or  other 
public  advertising  matter ;  to  prohibit  and  regulate  the  posting  of  bills  or 
other  advertising  matter  upon  telegraph,  telephone  and  other  poles:  to  pro- 
vide for  making  a  misdemeanor  any  violation  of  any  rule  or  regulation  of 
the  Water  Commissioner,  the  Street  Commissioner,  the  Charity  Commis- 
sioner, the  Commissioner  of  Public  Safety  and  the  Board  of  Park  Commis- 
sioners and  such  other  commissioners  and  departments  as  may  be  created 
from  time  to  time,  duly  established  and  published,  and  the  prosecution  of 
such  offense  before  the  City  Police  Court.  The  penalties  to  be  inflicted  by 
ordinance  for  such  offenses  shall,  however,  not  exceed  the  jurisdiction  of 
the  City  Police  Court. 

To  do  all  things  necessary  to  make  effectual  the  powers  herein  and  by 
law  conferred  upon  such  city. 

Said  Court  of  Common  Council  may  by  ordinance  declare  the  violation 
of  any  ordinance  enacted  in  conformity  to  this  act  to  be  a  misdemeanor,  and 
may  impose  a  penalty  or  penalties  of  fine  or  imprisonment,  or  both,  for  .uch 
misdemeanors  within  the  jurisdiction  of  said  Police  Court,  and  may  also 
impose  and  inflict  penalties  and  forfeitures  of  goods  and  chattels  for  the  vio- 
lation of  such  ordinance,  which  penalties  and  forfeitures  shall  be  recover- 
able by  the  City  Attorney  before  the  Court  of  Common  Pleas  or  the  Superior 
Court  in  an  action  of  debt  brought  in  the  name  of  the  city  of  Hartford  for 
the  use  of  the  City  Treasury. 

In  addition  to  such  penalties  said  Court  of  Common  Council  may  by 
ordinance  subject  to  four-fold  taxation  any  building  erected  or  added  to, 
or  removed,  or  located,  or  occupied  in  violation  of  any  ordinance  or  by-law 
designed  to  preserve  the  health,  safety,  or  morals  of  the  inhabitants  of  said 
city,  or  to  save  said  city  from  perils  of  fire,  or  to  keep  the  streets  or  public 
places  free  from  encroachment  and  obstructions. 

In  all  cases  the  ordinances,  resolutions  and  legislation  of  said  Court  of 
Common  Council. shall  conform  and  be  subject  to  the  provisions  of  this  char- 
ter relative  to  the  powers  and  duties  of  the  several  commissioners,  the  Board 
of  Public  Works,  the  Board  of  Finance,  and  city  officers,  and  to  the  other 
limitations  of  this  act. 

PAVING. 

Section  i.  The  Common  Council  shall  have  power  to  cause  the  streets 
of  said  city  to  be  paved  and  repaved  with  paving  material  other  than  the 
macadam  in  general  use ;  and  whenever  the  owners  or  proprietors  of  one- 

38 


half  of  the  land  abutting  upon  any  street  or  portion  of  a  street  shall  peti- 
tion for  such  paving  or  repaying  thereof,  specifying  in  said  petition  the 
street  or  ])ortion  of  a  street  to  be  paved  or  repaved,  and  the  Common  Council 
shall  have  before  it  the  action  of  the  Street  Commissioner  approving  and 
ordering  a  pavement  of  the  kind  and  style  it  may  deem  proper,  said  Com- 
mon Council  shall  have  power  to  assess  the  whole  cost  of  said  paving 
or  repaving,  including  that  portion  contiguous  to  lateral  and  intersecting 
streets,  and  excluding  that  portion  of  the  street  which,  by  law  or  contract, 
a  street  railway  is  under  obligation  to  pave,  one-third  of  such  cost  upon  the 
said  city  of  Hartford,  which  shall  be  paid  out  of  the  treasury  of  said  city 
upon  the  order  of  the  Common  Council,  and  two-thirds  of  such  cost  upon  the 
owmers  of  the  property  abutting  on  the  line  of  such  improvement,  and  shall 
have  power  to  enforce  the  collection  of  such  assessments  in  the  manner  pro- 
vided by  the  charter  or  ordinances  of  said  city  for  the  collection  of  assess- 
ments. On  the  completion  of  the  work  and  assessment  for  the  cost  of  the 
same,  such  assessment  shall  be  final  and  conclusive  on  all  parties  in  interest ; 
and  said  assessment  shall  be  a  lien  upon  the  land  on  account  of  which  it  was 
assessed,  in  the  same  manner  and  to  the  same  extent  as  is  provided  in  the 
charter  of  said  city  in  the  case  of  assessment  for  benefits  arising  from  other 
public  works  and  improvements. 

Sec.  2.  The  city  of  Hartford  may  cause  to  be  paved  with  granite,  as- 
phalt, or  other  substantial  pavement,  other  than  the  macadam  in  general  use, 
not  exceeding  one-half  mile  of  highway  in  each  year,  without  petition  there- 
for, in  addition  to  the  amount  petitioned  for  by  the  property  owners,  and  the 
Street  Commissioner  shall  select  the  streets  to  be  paved,  and  after  due  notice 
to  the  property  owners  interested,  by  publication  in  the  daily  newspapers  of 
the  city,  and,  so  far  as  is  practicable,  by  written  or  printed  notice  addressed 
to  the  property  owners  interested,  at  their  last  known  place  of  abode,  and 
deposited  in  the  post  office,  postage  paid,  at  least  ten  days  before  taking  the 
action  herein  contemplated,  he  shall  submit  for  its  approval  by  the  Common 
Council  an  order  for  such  pavement  and  an  assessment  made  as  aforesaid  of 
their  share  of  the  expense  upon  the  abutting  property  owners. 

Sec.  3.  The  Street  Commissioner  may  make  reasonable  regulations 
relative  to  pipes  and  conduits  of  all  kinds  which  are  in  the  streets  to  be  paved 
with  permanent  pavement,  and  as  a  preliminary  to  such  paving  may  order  all 
such  pipes  and  conduits  to  be  relaid,  renewed,  repaired,  placed,  and  located 
in  such  manner  and  to  such  extent  as  in  his  judgment  w411  best  protect  such 
pavement,  when  laid,  from  being  disturbed  in  the  future,  and  will  best  se- 
cure the  uninterrupted  use  of  such  streets  as  public  highways.  It  shall  be 
the  duty  of  all  persons,  comrnissioners  and  corporations  to  obey  and  comply 
strictly  with  all  such  orders  of  the  Street  Commissioner  within  such  time  as 
the  orders  shall  specify.  Such  orders  shall  be  in  writing,  signed  by  the 
Street  Commissioner,  or  by  the  clerk  of  such  Commissioner  under  his  au- 
thority, and  attested  copies  of  such  orders  shall  be  served  upon  such  person 
or  persons,  commissioners  or  corporations  at  least  forty-eight  hours  before 
the  work  specified  therein  shall  be  required  to  be  begun.  Should  any  per- 
son, commissioner  or  corporation  neglect  or  refuse  to  obey  and  comply  with 
any  such  order  o^  said  Commissioner,  the  Commissioner  may  apply  in  his 
own  name  to  the  Superior  Court  of  Hartford  county  or  to  any  Judge  of  the 
Superior  Court  in  vacation,  for  a  mandamus  to  enforce  compliance  with  any 
such  order  or  regulation  provided  for  in  this  section. 

Sec.  4.  The  Common  Council  of  said  city  is  also  further  authorized 
and  directed  to  provide  by  ordinance  for  the  extension  of  time  for  and  the 

39 


manner  of  payment  of  all  assessments  made  for  any  public  improvement 
not  including  taxes,  and  may  issue  and  dispose  of  assessment  certificates 
covering  the  amounts  of  any  extended  assessments,  under  such  rules,  regula- 
tions, and  in  such  form  as  the  Court  of  Common  Council  may  by  ordinance 
prescribe. 

Sec.  5.  The  foregoing  sections  shall  not  in  any  manner  affect  or  apply 
to  any  work  already  ordered,  or  any  proceeding,  detail,  or  assessment  relat- 
ing thereto,  but  all  work  heretofore  ordered  shall  be  proceeded  with,  as- 
sessed and  paid  for  under  the  provisions  of  the  law  relating  thereto  as  it 
existed  before  the  passage  of  the  foregoing  amendments. 

Sec.  6.  In  making  assessments  of  benefits  and  appraisals  of  damages 
for  any  public  improvement,  the  city  of  Hartford  is  hereby  authorized  and 
empowered  to  assess  such  benefits  or  appraise  such  damages  as  it  may  deem 
just  upon  or  in  favor  of  the  real  estate  belonging  to  the  State  of  Connecti- 
cut, or  to  any  school  district  situated  within  the  limits  of  the  city  of  Hart- 
ford and  especially  benefited  or  damaged  by  such  public  improvement,  sub- 
ject to  appeal  by  either  party  as  provided  by  law  in  such  cases,  and  in  the 
case  of  assessments  of  benefits  against  or  appraisals  of  damages  in  favor  of 
the  State  it  shall  be  the  duty  of  the  State  Treasurer  to  pay  any  and  all  as- 
sessments of  benefits  upon  the  certificate  of  the  Clerk  of  said  city  that  the 
same  are  due  and  payable,  and  he  shall  receive  any  damages  assessed  in 
favor  of  the  State  and  give  a  receipt  for  the  same  upon  a  like  certificate. 

Sec.  7.  All  assessments  made  for  public  improvements  and  street 
watering  within  the  city  of  Hartford  shall  bear  interest  from  the  date  when 
the  same  become  due  and  payable,  at  such  rate  as  the  Court  of  Common 
Council  of  said  city  shall  by  ordinance  prescribe. 

Sec.  8.  Said  city  of  Hartford  is  hereby  authorized  to  order,  construct, 
maintain  and  keep  free  from  defects  and  obstructions  all  sidewalks,  curbs 
and  gutters  in  the  town  of  West  Hartford  on  the  east  side  of  Prospect  Ave- 
nue between  Farmington  Avenue  and  New  Park  Avenue,  and  to  assess  the 
expense  of  such  construction,  maintenance  and  care  upon  adjoining  lands 
and  proprietors  in  the  city  of  Hartford  in  the  same  manner  and  to  the  same 
extent  as  if  said  sidewalks,  curbs  and  gutters  were  situated  in  the  city  of 
Hartford ;  provided,  that  any  order  for  the  construction  of  such  sidewalks, 
curbs  and  gutters  shall  be  approved  by  the  Selectmen  of  the  town  of  West 
Hartford. 

CITY  POLICE  COURT. 

Section  i.  There  shall  continue  to  be  a  City  Police  Court  established 
and  holden  within  and  for  said  city,  which  shall  have  and  exercise  within  the 
town  and  city  of  Hartford,  and  upon  the  eastern  bank  of  the  Connecticut 
river  opposite  said  city,  all  the  jurisdiction,  authority  and  powers  which 
Justices  of  the  Peace  in  the  several  towns  in  said  State  now  have  and  exer- 
cise, or  shall  hereafter  by  law  have  and  exercise,  also  all  jurisdiction  and 
authority  conferred  by  the  General  Statutes  of  this  State  upon  said  court, 
in  all  matters  of  a  criminal  nature,  including  criminal  prosecutions  for 
breach  of  city  ordinances  and  the  rules  and  regulations  of  any  of  the  de- 
partments of  the  said  city,  the  punishment  whereof,  inflicted  by  said  court, 
shall  not  exceed  a  fine  of  two  hundred  dollars  or  imprisonment  in  a  common 
jail  or  workhouse  for  six  months,  or  both,  notwithstanding  any  general 
statute  to  the  contrary. 

Said  court  and  the  judges  thereof  shall  have  and  exercise  exclusive  ju- 
risdiction within  said  city  in  all  proceedings  brought  under  Chapter  159  of 

40 


the  General  Statutes,  or  any  amendments  thereto,  regarding  the  seizure  of 
spirituous  and  intoxicating  liquors,  and  shall  have  the  power  conferred  by 
said  chapter  upon  Justices  of  the  Peace. 

No  grand  juror  or  prosecuting  agent  shall  make  complaint  either  to 
said  court  or  to  a  Justice  of  the  Peace  of  any  criminal  matter  arising  within 
the  limits  of  the  city  of  Hartford ;  nor  shall  any  Justice  of  the  Peace  take 
cognizance  of  any  action  or  proceedings  brought  under  Chapter  159  of  the 
General  Statutes  regarding  the  seizure  of  spirituous  or  intoxicating  liquors ; 
and  the  Prosecuting  Attorney  or  the  Assistant  Prosecuting  Attorney  of  the 
city  of  Hartford  shall  have  within  the  jurisdiction  of  said  court  the  powers 
conferred  by  Chapter  159  of  the  General  Statutes  upon  prosecuting  agents. 

Said  court  shall  also  have  jurisdiction  over  all  crimes  and  misdemeanors 
that  shall  be  committed  in  that  part  of  the  town  of  West  Hartford,  in  Hart- 
ford county,  known  as  Charter  Oak  Park ;  and  of  all  crimes  committed  on 
the  grounds  of  the  Cedar  Hill  cemetery,  and  the  breach  of  the  reasonable 
rules  and  regulations  of  said  Cedar  Hill  cemetery  shall  be  held  to  be  a  breach 
of  the  public  peace. 

All  warrants  on  account  of  any  offenses  within  the  jurisdiction  of  said 
City  Police  Court  shall  require  the  offender  to  be  brought  before  the  said 
City  Police  Court,  there  to  be  dealt  with  according  to  law. 

Sec.  2.  In  all  cases  the  person  may  appeal  from  the  judgment  of  said 
court  to  the  next  criminal  term  of  the  Superior  Court  to  be  holden  in  the 
county  of  Hartford  within  and  for  said  county,  provided  that  he  shall  give 
such  bond  on  appeal  as  such  court  shall  order,  payable  to  the  Treasurer  of 
Hartford  county,  conditioned  for  the  appearance  of  the  person  convicted 
before  the  next  criminal  term  of  the  Superior  Court  to  answer  concerning 
the  offense  of  which  he  stands  charged,  and  to  abide  the  judgment  that  may 
be  rendered  by  the  court  last  aforesaid ;  and  on  his  failure  to  give  such  bond 
such  court  shall,  order  him  to  be  committed  to  the  jail  in  said  county  until 
the  next  session  of  said  Superior  Court,  there  to  answer  to  said  complaint 
and  abide  the  order  of  the  court  thereon,  or  admitted  to  bail  in  the  same 
manner  as  arc  persons  bound  over  to  the  Superior  Court  for  trial. 

Sec.  3.  There  shall  be  appointed  by  the  General  Assembly  of  the  State 
a  Judge  and  an  Assistant  Judge  of  said  City  PoHce  Court,  who  shall  hold  of- 
fice for  the  term  of  two  years  and  until  their  successors  are  chosen  and  quali- 
fied. They  shall,  before  entering  upon  their  duties,  take  the  oath  pre- 
scribed by  law  for  judicial  officers,  and  shall  receive  such  compensation  as 
the  ordinances  may  prescribe. 

In  case  of  the  absence  of  said  Judge  and  Assistant  Judge,  or  of  the 
inability  or  disability  of  both  to  discharge  the  duties  of  said  office,  either  may 
designate  any  Justice  of  the  Peace  resident  within  the  city  of  Hartford  to 
act  as  his  substitute,  and  such  justice  while  so  acting  shall  have  and  exercise 
all  the  powers  conferred  upon  the  Judge  and  Assistant  Judge  of  said  court. 
Such  justice  shall  receive  a  suitable  compensation,  to  be  prescribed  by  ordi- 
nance. 

Sec.  4.  Said  Judge  shall  appoint  a  Prosecuting  Attorney  and  an  As- 
sistant Prosecuting  Attorney,  who  shall  hold  office  during  the  pleasure  of 
said  Judge,  and  when  the  Prosecuting  Attorney  or  Assistant  Prosecuting 
Attorney  shall  be  for  any  reason  disqualified  or  unable  to  act,  a  special  Pros- 
ecuting Attorney  shall  be  appointed  by  said  Judge,  to  act  until  such  dis- 
qualification or  inability  is  removed.,  Said  Judge  shall  also  appoint  a  Clerk 
of  said  Court.  Said  Prosecuting  Attorney,  Assistant  and  special  Prosecuting 
Attorney,  and  Clerk,  shall  receive  such  compensation  as  the  ordinances  may 
determine. 

41 


The  Prosecuting  Attorney  or  the  person  acting  as  such  shall  have  all 
the  powers  of  a  grand  juror  and  all  the  powers  of  a  prosecuting  agent  in 
presenting  and  prosecuting  complaints  and  informations  before  the  Police 
Court  of  said  city,  including  powers  conferred  by  Section  i88  of  the  Gen- 
eral Statutes ;  and  it  shall  be  his  duty  to  prosecute  before  said  court  all 
crimes  and  misdemeanors,  and  violations  of  city  ordinances,  of  which  said 
court  has  jurisdiction. 

Sec.  5.  The  Prosecuting  Attorney,  Assistant  and  special  Prosecuting 
Attorney  shall  each  take  the  oath  of  office  prescribed  by  law  for  grand 
jurors,  and  the  clerk  shall  take  the  oath  prescribed  for  clerks  of  courts  in 
this  State. 

Sec.  6.  Said  court  shall  proceed  in  all  criminal  cases  without  jury  and 
may  issue  subpoenas  and  capias  for  witnesses  in  matters  brought  before  it, 
warrants  of  arrest  for  criminal  offenses,  to  be  served  in  any  part  of  this 
State  and  such  process  shall  be  signed  by  the  court  or  clerk.  Said  court 
may  adjourn  any  case  to  a  future  day  for  trial,  and  take  bonds  for  the  ap- 
pearance of  the  accused,  and  when  said  court  has  or  may  have  final  juris- 
diction thereof,  the  bonds  shall  be  taken  to  said  city,  otherwise  to  the  State. 

Sec.  7.  Said  court  may  suspend  the  rendition  of  judgment  in  the  case 
of  any  person  arraigned  before  it  for  drunkenness,  vagrancy,  assault  and 
battery,  breach  of  the  peace  or  other  petty  offense,  and  in  case  of  juvenile 
offenders  who  might  otherwise  be  committed  to  the  Connecticut  School  for 
Boys  or  the  Connecticut  Industrial  School  for  Girls,  whenever  such  court 
may  deem  such  forbearance  to  be  advisable  by  reason  of  the  age  of  the  ac- 
cused or  the  circumstances  under  which  the  offense  was  committed. 

Sec.  8.  In  all  cases  and  proceedings  of  a  criminal  nature  the  following 
costs  shall  be  taxed  in  said  court :  A  court  fee  of  three  dollars,  the  officer's 
and  witnesses'  fees,  and  any  reasonable  and  necessary  expense  incurred  in 
securing  an  offender  and  in  bringing  him  before  said  court  and  in  enabling 
said  court  to  intelligently  dispose  of  the  charge  against  him,  may  in  the  dis- 
cretion of  said  court  be  taxed,  allowed  and  collected  as  a  part  of  the  costs. 
All  copies  in  cases  coming  to  the  Superior  Court  by  appeal,  binding  over 
or  otherwise,  shall  be  taxed  the  same  as  in  similar  cases  coming  in  like  man- 
ner from  Justices  of  the  Peace  in  case  of  conviction  and  judgment  against 
the  accused,  the  costs  shall  be  paid  by  him  and  payment  enforced,  as  in 
cases  before  the  Superior  Court,  and  all  fees  taxed  as  such  costs  by  said 
court,  but  due  to  any  individual,  shall  be  paid  by  the  clerk  of  the  court,  ex- 
cept as  otherwise  provided. 

Sec.  9.  Criminal  process  issued  by  said  City  Police  Court,  or  by  the 
Judge  or  Clerk,  or  Prosecuting  Attorney,  or  other  person  acting  in  the  place 
of  the  Prosecuting  Attorney  thereof,  may  be  served  by  any  member  of  the 
police  force  of  said  city,  or  by  any  proper  officer  or  indifferent  person,  when 
so  directed,  and  may  be  served  in  any  part  of  this  State ;  but  before  any 
member  of  the  police  force  shall  leave  said  city  to  serve  such  process,  he 
shall  be  commissioned  so  to  do  by  the  acting  chief  of  police  of  said  city. 
Any  officer  or  indifferent  person,  other  than  members  of  said  police  force, 
shall  receive  the  same  fees  for  such  service  allowed  by  law  to  constables  in 
similar  cases :  and  any  extra  expenses,  necessarily  or  reasonably  incurred  in 
securing  an  offender  and  bringing  him  before  said  City  Police  Court. 

Sec.  10.  It  shall  be  the  duty  of  the  chief  of  police  of  said  city,  for  the 
time  being,  to  designate  a  suitable  officer  or  officers  of  said  force,  who  shall 
attend  the  sessions  of  said  court  and  shall  bring  before  it  any  person  or  per- 
sons in  custody,  for  trial  therein,  take  custody  of  any  persons  convicted  or 

43 


bound  over  therein  and  deliver  them  over  to  the  officer  or  other  person 
proper  to  receive  the  same,  and  in  general  execute  the  orders  of  said  court. 

Sec.  II.  The  keepers  of  the  county  jail  and  workhouse  of  Hartford 
county,  and  of  the  Hartford  workhouse,  and  of  the  Connecticut  School  for 
Boys,  and  of  the  Connecticut  Industrial  School  for  Girls,  shall  severally  re- 
ceive any  person  committed  by  said  court,  and  shall  have  and  keep  the  cus- 
tody of  such  person  as  in  other  cases,  according  to  law,  until  duly  discharged. 
It  shall  be  the  duty  of  the  keepers  of  said  jail  or  workhouse  respectively  to 
render  to  the  clerk  of  said  court,  at  least  once  in  each  month,  an  account  of 
all  persons  committedJ:o  his  custody  by  order  of  said  court. 

Sec.  12.  Said  clerk  shall  keep  the  files  and  records  of  said  City  Police 
Court,  and  shall,  within  ten  days  after  an  appeal,  or  binding  over  in  crim- 
inal cases  in  said  court,  deliver  to  the  clerk  of  the  court  to  which  the  appeal 
is  taken  or  the  person  is  bound  over,  a  copy  of  the  files  and  records  of  the 
case.  He  shall  receive  all  fines  and  costs  imposed  by  said  court  which  are 
paid  before  commitment ;  and  all  fines  and  costs  paid  for  commitment.  Said 
clerk  shall  also  receive  all  sums  taxed  in  the  higher  courts  for  costs  before 
said  City  Police  Court  and  for  copies  in  cases  coming  from  said  City  Police 
Court  to  said  Superior  Court  by  appeal,  binding  over,  or  otherwise. 

All  moneys  collected  by  the  clerk  of  the  City  Police  Court  shall  be  paid 
to  the  Treasurer,  and  an  account  thereof  rendered  to  the  Controller  monthly ; 
all  fines  paid  after  commitment  shall  be  received  by  the  keeper  of  the  jail, 
workhouse  or  penitentiary  where  the  offender  shall  be  confined,  and  by  such 
keeper  paid  to  the  City  Treasurer  within  thirty  days  after  the  receipt  thereof. 

The  clerk  of  said  court  is  hereby  authorized  to  pay  out  of  the  money  in 
his  hands,  to  the  persons  entitled  to  receive  them,  the  witness  fees  after  they 
have  been  taxed  and  allowed  by  said  court,  and  shall  be  allowed  for  such 
payments  in  the  settlement  of  his  accounts  with  the  city.  Said  clerk  shall 
give  bonds  in  such  sum  as  the  ordinances  shall  provide. 

Sec.  13.  Nothing  contained  in  this  act  shall  afifect  the  jurisdiction  of 
said  court  over  ofifenses  committed  or  causes  pending  prior  to  and  at  the  time 
this  act  shall  take  effect. 

MISCELLANEOUS  PROVISIONS. 

Section  i.  All  officers  and  commissioners  of  said  city,  unless  pre- 
vented by  death,  inability,  suspension  or  removal,  shall  hold  their  respec- 
tive offices  until  their  successors  shall  be  chosen  and  shall  have  duly  qualified. 

Sec.  2.  Every  officer  of  said  city,  chosen  by  the  electors  or  appointed 
by  the  Mayor  or  by  the  Court  of  Common  Council,  shall  be  a  resident  elector 
of  said  city.     / 

Sec.  3.  Whenever  any  office  in  said  city  filled  by  appointment  shall  be- 
come vacant  by  reason  of  the  death,  resignation,  inability  or  removal  of  the 
person  appointed  to  fill  the  same,  said  vacancy  may  be  filled  by  the  authority 
which  made  the  former  appointment.  If  the  said  last  incumbent  was  ap- 
pointed for  a  definite  term,  his  successor  shall  be  appointed  for  the  unex- 
pired portion  of  said  term. 

Sec.  4.  No  public  improvement  of  any  kind  shall  be  ordered  by  the 
Court  of  Common  Council  or  other  authority  having  power  to  authorize  the 
same  imtil  an  appropriation  for  said  improvements  has  been  duly  made,  and 
no  department  shall  expend  or  contract  for  any  amount  in  excess  of  the 
appropriation  for  such  department. 

Sec.  5.  The  bonds  of  all  city  officers  shall  be  given  to  the  city  of  Hart- 
ford, and  shall  be  conditioned  for  the  faithful  performance  of  the  duties  of 

43 


the  office  according  to  law,  and  the  Mayor  shall  be  the  custodian  of  said 
bonds.  The  form  and  sureties  of  each  bond  shall  be  to  the  satisfaction  of 
the  Mayor,  and  the  form  of  each  bond  and  the  sufficiency  of  the  sureties  shall 
be  annually  examined  and  approved  by  the  Mayor. 

Sec.  6.  It  shall  be  the  duty  of  every  officer  of  said  city,  upon  the  expi- 
ration of  his  term  or  upon  his  removal  from  office,  to  deliver  over  to  his  suc- 
cessor in  office  all  books,  papers,  vouchers  and  memoranda  under  his  con- 
trol affecting  the  business  of  said  city. 

Sec.  7.  The  city  shall  have  power  to  accept  gifts  and  trusts  for  all 
purposes  for  which  said  city  is  authorized  or  required  to  expend  money,  and 
for  no  others,  except  as  hereinbefore  provided. 

Sec.  8.  All  certificates  of  liens  for  city  taxes  shall  be  signed  and  filed 
for  record  in  the  land  records  by  the  Collector;  all  certificates  for  liens  for 
assessments  for  streets,  sewers  and  other  claims  within  the  jurisdiction  of 
the  Street  Department  shall  be  signed  and  filed  by  the  Street  Commissioner ; 
all  certificates  for  liens  for  water  bills  and  other  claims  within  the  jvirisdiction 
of  the  Water  Commissioner  shall  be  signed  and  filed  by  the  Water  Commis- 
sioner or  his  secretary,  and  said  liens  shall  include  and  cover  interest  upon 
the  claims  for  which  said  liens  may  be  filed.  Releases  of  all  the  above  liens 
shall  be  signed  and  filed  with  the  Town  and  City  Clerk  by  the  Collector. 

Sec.  9.  No  ordinance  of  said  city  shall  be  of  force  or  effect  until  it 
shall  have  been  published  at  least  once  in  two  or  more  daily  papers  published 
in  said  city,  nor  until  one  week  after  it  is  enacted. 

Sec.  10.  All  property  which  has  been  in  any  manner  acquired  or  shall 
hereafter  be  acquired  by  any  department  of  the  city  shall  be  deemed  to  be  the 
property  of  the  city,  and  all  property  hereafter  acquired  or  purchased  by 
any  department  shall  be  taken  in  the  name  of  the  city  of  Hartford  and  all 
property  of  the  city  shall  be  free  from  taxation. 

Sec.  II.  The  Court  of  Common  Council  shall  prescribe  or  limit  the 
compensation  of  all  officials  and  employes  of  the  city  except  as  specifically 
provided  in  this  act.  No  fees  shall  be  collected  for  the  personal  use  of  any 
officer  of  the  city  or  town  of  Hartford,  but  all  fees  heretofore  required  to  be 
paid  to  any  town  or  city  officer  shall  hereafter  be  collected  by  such  officer  or 
the  person  herein  designated  to  receive  the  same  and  paid  over  to  said  city 
at  such  times  and  with  such  reports  as  the  City  Controller  shall  prescribe. 

Sec.  12.  Where  the  interests  of  the  city  and  economy  demand  it,  any 
duties  devolving  on  one  department  may  be  transferred  to  another  depart- 
ment by  the  affirmative  action  of  the  Board  of  Public  Works. 

Sec.  13.  No  person  or  corporation  shall  disturb  the  surface  of  any 
street  or  highway  in  the  city  of  Hartford  by  digging  or  making  excavation, 
or  cause  the  same  to  be^so  disturbed,  without  first  giving  notice  to  and  ob- 
taining permission  from*  the  Street  Commissioner  of  said  city,  and  said 
Street  Commissioner  shall  have  the  power  to  supervise  and  direct  any  such 
digging  or  excavating,  and  may  prescribe  the  manner  in  which  the  same 
shall  be  done  and  the  condition  to  which  said  street  or  highway  shall  be  re- 
stored ;  provided,  however,  that  no  such  person  or  corporation  shall  be  com- 
pelled to  do  more  than  to  restore  said  street  or  highway  to  its  usual  condi- 
tion. 

Sec.  14.  If  any  person  or  corporation  so  disturbing  or  causing  to  be 
disturbed  the  surface  of  any  street  or  highway  as  aforesaid,  shall  fail  to  com- 
ply -with  the  directions  of  said  Street  Commissioner  in  restoring  the  same  to 
its  usual  condition,  said  Commissioner  may,  after  reasonable  notice  to  such 
person  or  corporation,  if  known,  otherwise  without  notice,  restore  the  same, 

44 


and  collect  and  recover  from  such  person  or  corporation  double  the  cost  of 
such  restoration. 

Sec.  15.  Any  person  or  corporation  who  shall  neglect  to  comply  with 
the  provisions  of  Section  thirteen  as  to  notice  shall  forfeit  and  pay  to  the  city 
of  Hartford,  for  the  use  of  the  City  Treasury,  a  penalty  of  not  less  than  five 
and  not  more  than  twenty-five  dollars,  the  same  to  be  recovered  in  an  action 
brought  in  the  name  of  said  city  in  the  manner  provided  in  the  charter  of 
said  city  for  the  recovery  of  fines  and  penalties. 

Sec.  16.  There  shall  continue  to  be  elected  five  Selectmen,  of  whom 
no  person  shall  vote  for  more  than  three.  The  Selectmen  chosen  in  April, 
1905,  and  in  each  year  thereafter,  shall  hold  office  for  one  year  from  the 
first  Monday  of  June  next  following  their  election.  The  powers  and  duties 
of  said  Selectmen  shall  continue  to  be  limited  to  those  powers  vested  in  and 
those  duties  imposed  upon  them  by  the  constitution  and  laws  of  the  State  in 
relation  to  the  admission  of  persons  to  the  privileges  of  electors  in  said  town, 
and  to  the  erasure  from  the  registry  list  of  the  names  of  those  who  have 
forfeited  the  privileges  of  electors.  No  elector  shall  vote  for  more  than 
three  Selectmen  in  any  election.  The  Selectmen  shall  be  paid  by  the  city  for 
the  time  actually  spent  in  the  discharge  of  said  duties,  and  their  necessary  ex- 
penses, and  their  compensation  shall  be  fixed  by  ordinance. 

Sec.  17.  Hereafter  no  town  meeting  shall  be  held  in  the  town  of  Hart- 
ford except  for  the  election  of  town  officers,  which  shall  continue  to  be  held 
on  the  first  Monday  of  April  in  each  year  when  the  town  of  Hartford  shall 
elect  no  officers  except  its  Selectmen,  Town  Clerk,  Assessors,  Registrars  of 
Voters,  High  School  Committee,  Board  of  School  Visitors  and  Constables ; 
and  except  also  such  officers  as  are  by  law  voted  for  at  the  biennial  electors' 
meeting  in  November. 

Sec.  18.  Annual  meetings  of  said  town  for  the  choice  of  town  officers 
shall  be  held  on  the  first  Monday  in  April  in  each  year  at  the  same  place  pro- 
vided for  holding  the  city  meetings,  which  meeting  of  said  town  shall  be 
warned  and  held  in  the  same  manner  as  is  now  provided  for  warning  and 
holding  meetings  in  the  city  of  Hartford.  At  such  meeting  in  1905,  and 
annually  thereafter,  there  shall  be  chosen  five  Selectmen  as  hereinbefore  pro- 
vided :  five  persons  to  constitute  the  High  School  Committee,  of  whom  no 
person  shall  vote  for  more  than  three :  three  members  of  the  Board  of  School 
Visitors,  of  whom  no  person  shall  vote  for  more  than  two ;  seven  Constables, 
of  whom  no  person  shall  vote  for  more  than  four.  At  such  meeting  in  1906. 
and  biennially  thereafter,  there  shall  be  chosen  a  Town  Clerk,  who  shall  also 
be  City  Clerk  as  heretofore  provided,  and  two  Registrars  of  Voters,  of  whom 
no  person  shall  vote  for  more  than  one.  At  such  meeting,  held  in  1907,  and 
triennially  thereafter,  there  shall  be  chosen  three  Assessors,  of  whom  no  per- 
son shall  vote  for  more  than  two.  All  said  officers  shall  hold  their  several 
offices  for  terms  of  the  same  length  as  their  respective  terms  would  have  been 
had  this  resolution  not  been  passed,  and  each  of  said  terms,  except  that  of 
Town  and  City  Clerk,  shall  begin  on  the  first  Monday  of  June  next  follow- 
ing their  respective  elections.  All  expenses  of  said  town  election  shall  be 
paid  by  said  city. 

Sec.  19.  There  shall  continue  to  be  a  Board  of  Relief  of  said  city,  with 
the  same  powers  and  duties  which  are  conferred  upon  boards  of  relief  of 
towns  by  the  provisions  of  the  General  Statutes.  Before  the  first  day  of 
June,  1905,  the  Mayor  shall  appoint,  by  and  with  the  advice  and  consent  of 
the  Board  of  Aldermen,  four  members  of  the  Board  of  Relief,  only  two  of 
whom  shall  belong  to  the  same  political  party,  who  shall  hold  office  for  two 

45 


years  from  the  first  day  of  June  of  the  year  of  their  appointment  and  until 
their  successors  are  chosen  and  quaHfied. 

The  clerk  of  the  Board  of  Assessors  shall  be  the  clerk  of  said  Board 
of  Relief. 

The  compensation  of  said  Board  of  Relief  shall  be  fixed  by  ordinance. 

Sec.  20.  All  other  officers  of  said  town  of  Hartford  shall  continue  to  be 
chosen  by  the  Common  Council  of  said  city,  in  so  far  as  said  officers  are  nec- 
essary under  the  laws,  and  they  shall  have  the  same  powers  and  be  charged 
with  the  same  duties  that  would  otherwise  devolve  by  law  upon  such  officers 
in  said  town. 

Sec.  21.  All  the  property  and  rights  of  action  and  all  securities  and 
liens  therefor,  including  liens  for  taxes  of  the  town  of  Hartford,  shall  con- 
tinue to  be  vested  in  said  city  of  Hartford,  and  said  city  shall  continue  to  be 
liable  for  all  debts,  dues,  and  obligations  of  every  kind  of  said  town  of  Hart- 
ford, now  due  or  hereafter  to  become  due,  and  shall  perform  all  the  duties 
and  have  and  exercise  all  the  rights  of  said  town,  and  any  person  having 
any  claim  or  right  of  action  against  the  said  town  of  Hartford  may 
enforce  the.  claim  against  the  said  city  of  Hartford  in  the  same  man- 
ner as  if  said  claim  or  right  of  action  had  originally  accrued  against  said 
city  of  Hartford,  and  all  sums  of  money,  by  whomsoever  payable,  which 
would  otherwise  be  paid  to  the  Town  Treasurer,  shall  continue  to  be  pay- 
able to  and  receivable  by  the  Treasurer  of  the  city  of  Hartford. 

Sec.  22.  It  shall  hereafter  be  the  duty  of  the  Mayor  and  Common 
Council  of  the  city  of  Hartford  to  cause  the  amount  of  any  tax  granted  by 
the  General  Assembly  and  due  from  the  town  of  Hartford  to  be  paid  into 
the  treasury  of  the  State ;  and  if  the  same  shall  not  be  paid  within  the  time 
fixed  by  law,  the  Treasurer  of  the  State  shall  issue  execution  against  the 
estate  of  said  Mayor  and  members  of  the  Common  Council  for  the  amount 
due  upon  said  tax,  and  they  shall  have  the  same  remedies  against  the  city  of 
Hartford  that  the  Selectmen  of  towns  now  have  against  their  respective 
towns.  Whenever  a  county  tax  is  imposed  in  Hartford  county,  the  clerk  of 
the  Superior  Court  in  said  county  shall  draw  his  order  upon  the  city  of  Hart- 
ford for  the  part  thereof  which,  but  for  the  provisions  of  this  resolution, 
would  be  assessed  upon  the  town  of  Hartford,  and  all  proceedings  in  relation 
to  said  tax  shall  be  had  against  the  said  city,  and  the  inhabitants  thereof,  in- 
stead of  against  the  town  of  Hartford. 

Sec.  23.  All  the  powers  and  duties  relating  to  schools  by  any  law  of 
this  State  vested  in  towns  and  exercised  in  town  meeting,  shall,  so  f^r  as  the 
town  of  Hartford  is  concerned,  continue  to  be  vested  in  the  city  of  Hartford, 
and  shall  be  exercised  by  said  city  in  a  city  meeting  duly  warned  and  held 
for  that  purpose. 

Sec.  24.  All  sums  due  or  to  become  due  to  the  town  of  Hartford  for 
taxes,  and  all  liens  to  secure  the  same,  shall  continue  to  belong  to  said  city, 
and  shall  be  payable  to  the  City  Collector,  and  liens  for  the  security  of  said 
taxes  may  be  filed  and  enforced,  and  every  suit  or  proceeding  for  the  col- 
lection or  security  of  said  taxes  instituted  in  the  name  of  said  city.  One 
ratebill  shall  hereafter  continue  to  be  made  by  the  rate-maker  of  said  city, 
and  shall  be  delivered  annually  on  or  before  the  tenth  day  of  June  to  the  City 
Collector.  The  office  of  rate-maker  of  the  town  of  Hartford  is  hereby  abol- 
ished. The  City  Collector  shall  perform  all  other  duties  which  but  for  the 
passage  of  this  resolution  the  Town  Collector  would  have'  been  required  to 
perform. 

Sec.  2^.     No  tax  exceeding  six  mills  on  a  dollar  of  the  grand  list  shall 

46 


be  laid  or  levied  by  said  city  of  Hartford  upon  any  land  used  exclusively  for 
farming  purposes  within  its  limits,  unless  said  land  has  an  assessed  value  of 
at  least  six  hundred  dollars  per  acre  ;  no  tax  exceeding  said  rate  shall  be  laid  or 
levied  upon  any  land  or  the  buildings  thereon  which  was  added  to  the  limits 
of  the  city  of  Hartford  by  resolutions  of  the  General  Assembly,  approved 
July  ninth,  1873,  and  April  fourteenth,  1881,  so  long  as  said  land  has  an  as- 
sessed value  not  exceeding  six  hundred  dollars  per  acre  exclusive  of  the 
buildings  thereon,  and  all  farming  produce,  and  all  stock  used  in  farming, 
and  all  implements  of  husbandry  belonging  to  persons  residing  on  said  ter- 
ritory so  added,  so  long  as  they  shall  continue  to  reside  thereon,  shall  be  ex- 
empt in  the  same  manner  and  to  the  same  extent ;  provided,  that  this  resolu- 
tion shall  not  be  so  construed  as  to  exempt  from  liability  any  property  in- 
vested in  business  outside  of  said  added  territory ;  no  tax  exceeding  six  mills 
on  a  dollar  of  the  grand  list  shall  be  laid  or  levied  by  s'aid'city  upon  those 
meadow  lands  included  in  the  addition  made  to  said  city  by  the  Act  of  the 
General  Assembly,  approved  July  twenty-sixth,  1871,  lying  on  the  east  side 
of  Wethersfield  Avenue  and  not  protected  by  a  dyke ;  or  upon  that  tract  of 
land  known  as  Hartford  north  meadows,  the  boundaries  of  which  were  es- 
tablished by  a  decree  of  the  Superior  Court  for  Hartford  county,  passed  at  its 
March  term,  1868,  upon  the  petition  of  Henry  Drake  and  Samuel  Mather, 
so  long  as  the  same  shall  remain  a  common  field,  and  the  roads  thereon  shall 
be  kept  and  maintained  by  the  proprietors  of  said  meadows.  All  other  lands 
within  the  limits  of  said  city  subject  to  taxation  shall  be  liable  to  pay  such 
tax  as  shall  be  levied  thereon  upon  the  grand  list  of  said  city. 

Sec.  26.  This  act  shall  in  no  manner  impair  or  qualify  the  obligation 
of  any  bond,  liability,  note,  contract  or  debt  of  said  city  or  town,  or  evidences 
thereof,  and  said  city  shall  continue  to  be  liable  thereon ;  and  nothing  herein 
shall  be  construed  to  rescind  any  authority  heretofore  granted  to  issue  bonds 
for  any  purpose  for  which  they  have  been  authorized. 

Sec.  27.  Nothing  herein  contained  shall  in  any  way,  affect  any  public 
or  private  acts  relating  to  the  Park  Board  of  the  city  of  Hartford  or  to  the 
Connecticut  river  bridge  and  highway  district. 

Sec.  28.  Except  as  herein  otherwise  provided  this  resolution  shall  take 
efifect  from  and  after  the  first  day  of  April,  1905,  ajid  all  of  the  officers  of 
said  city  in  office  on  the  first  day  of  April,  1905,  aforesaid,  are  hereby  in- 
vested with  the  powers  conferred  by  this  act  so  far  as  may  be  consistent  here- 
with. All  acts  or  part  of  acts,  public  or  private,  plainly  inconsistent  herewith 
are  hereby  repealed  from  and  after  said  first  day  of  April,  1905,  but  no  acts 
hitherto  repealed  shall  be  revived  by  said  repeal. 

No  rights,  privileges,  or  immunities,  vested  in  said  city  or  in  any  person 
against  said  city  shall  be  deemed  to  be  impaired  by  such  repeal,  and  all  ac- 
tions by  or  against  said  city,  prosecutions  for  the  breach  of  any  law,  ordi- 
nance or  by-law,  shall  be  proceeded  with  as  though  this  resolution  had  not 
been  passed.  All  offenses  committed  or  penalties  incurred,  prior  to  said 
first  day  of  April,  1905,  shall  be  prosecuted  as  though  this  resolution  had  not 
been  passed. 

Said  repeal  shall  not  affect  any  act  done  or  right  allowed  unless  by  law 
otherwise  provided. 

All  lawful  city  ordinances  and  all  regulations  and  by-laws  of  any  citv 
department,  in  force  on  said  first  day  of  April,  1905.  and  not  inconsistent 
herewith,  are  hereby  continued  in  effect  until  the  same  shall  be  duly  amended 
by  competent  authority;  provided,  that  all  such  ordinances,  regulations  and 
by-laws  shall  be  deemed  to  be  and  hereby  are  amended,  so  as  to  confer  upon 

47 


the  proper  officers  and  boards,  the  power,  authority  and  duties  hereby  con- 
ferred or  imposed  upon  them. 

Sec.  29.  On  and  after  May  i,  1905,  the  City  Court  of  the  city  of  Hart- 
ford is  hereby  discontinued  and  aboHshed  and  all  actions  pending  therein  at 
that  time  where  the  matter  in  demand  exceeds  five  hundred  dollars,  may  be 
transferred  and  entered  on  the  docket  of  the  Superior  Court  for  Hartford 
county ;  and  all  other  causes  then  pending  may  be  transferred  to  and  entered 
on  the  docket  of  the  Court  of  Common  Pleas  for  Hartford  county ;  and  said 
courts  respectively  shall  proceed  to  hear  and  dispose  of  said  cases  in  the  same 
manner  as  if  the  same  were  originally  brought  to  said  court. 

Sec.  30.  All  the  officers  of  said  city  elected  pursuant  to  the  terms  of  its 
former  charter  shall  after  the  time  of  the  taking  effect  of  this  act  continue 
in  the  performance  of  their  duties  imposed  by  said  former  charter  and  the 
ordinances  of  said  city,  for  the  terms  for  which  they  were  severally  ap- 
pointed or  elected,  except  the  several  members  of  the  Boards  of  Street  Com- 
missioners, Fire  Commissioners,  Police  Commissioners,  Water  Commission- 
ers, Health  Commissioners  and  Charity  Commissioners,  who. shall  continue 
in  the  performance  of  their  duties  only  until  the  first  day  of  May,  1905,  and 
until  the  successors  of  said  boards  of  commissioners  provided  for  by  this 
resolution  shall  be  chosen  and  qualified,  at  which  time  the  terms  of  said 
boards  of  commissioners  shall  expire  and  said  several  boards  shall  deliver 
over  to  their  successors  all  books,  papers  and  property  in  their  charge  belong- 
ing to  the  city  of  Hartford. 


48 


14  DAY  USE 

RETUKN  TO  DESK  FROM  WHICH  BORROWED 

LOAN  DEPT. 

This  book  is  due  on  the  last  date  stamped  below,  or 

on  the  date  to  which  renewed. 

Renewed  books  are  subject  to  immediate  recall 


^     2ihr66a« 

REC'D  LD 

FRBlyJEidlM. 

LD  21A-60m-4,'64 
(E4555sl0)476B 

General  Library 
University  of  California 

Berkeley 


.As 

/S05 
228392 


Mm 


